History
by JamieTyler
Summary: Complet. After a mission goes wrong, Brennan and Jesse have a falling out. It all goes down hill from there.
1. Chapter 1

**History**

Brennan let out a frustrated sigh as he fell into one of the computer terminals. Jesse and he had just gotten back from a routine mission. Find the new mutant, take them to a safe house, make sure they're ok and then come back.

Well, they found the new mutant easy enough, a nine-teen-year-old element named Missy Walker in an abandoned factory, and so did the GSA. They were the other part of the routine mission. That was where things had gotten not so routine.

There was more then the average number of GSA coming through their way out. "They're here for me, "Missy said.

"Yup, that's usually how it goes. They want you pretty badly. Why?" Brennan asked as he grabbed Missy and began running to a door on the other side of the factory, one they hoped would lead them out of the factory. Instead, it led them into another room.

The room was white, sterile. There was a tile floor, medicine cabinets, a sink, and an operation table, complete with anesthetic gas. They had stumbled into a lab. Brennan shuddered at the memory; he had heard too many stories from new mutants not to feel a little uneasy.

Missy had stopped to catch her breath, and between gasp she explained that Genomex wanted her because she could control sound waves; she could make them as loud, soft, or as high/low pitched as she liked. "Like Black Canary?" Brennan asked.

"Kind of," she said with a fleeting smile. The GSA had reached them and was trying to break down the door.

"Hey Jess, why don't you make us a way out?" When there was no response Brennan looked around, expecting to find the younger man hurt. Instead Jess was staring at the operating table entranced, a combination of horror and hatred on his face. "Jess, hey Jess! We need…."

Brennan didn't get to finish, the door to the lab was blown open and the GSA came in firing. Brennan was hit in the upper arm as he grabbed Missy and hid behind the table. Jesse seemed frozen in place until the an agent shot the spot right next to him then he came to. With Brennan covering him, he phased the wall, and they were able to get Missy to safety.

When they got back to Sanctuary after they dropped Missy off at a safe house, Brennan went off on Jesse.

"What the hell were you doing? What were you thinking? You could have gotten us all killed!" He had cornered Jesse in the hangar, while he was checking the Helix.

"I'm sorry Brennan, I didn't…" Jesse had started, and if Brennan hadn't been so worked up he might have noticed that Jesse was still in a daze.

"You're sorry? You're Sorry! Adam says I won't be able to use my arm for about two weeks at best! I won't be able to go on missions for two weeks! We could have been killed!"

"Brennan, please, just hear me out….' Jesse pleaded, but Brennan's anger had gotten the better of him and he slugged Jesse in the jaw.

"Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing?" Shalimar said. The feral had heard Brennan yelling, and had just walked into the hanger to make sure everything was alright.

Brennan felt his stomach drop as he watched the angry feral walk over to him. "Get away from him Brennan," she said dangerously, like a mother bear would to a hunter who had gotten to close to her cubs.

Brennan glared at Jesse, "How typical, first sign of danger and you have to have some one come and bail you out. You're just a coward with powers." Shal gave a warning growl, and Brennan stormed off.

Brennan had headed to the computers. Adam had told him that if he wanted to he could start some research on a new mutant named Jessica Killmont, and since there was nothing else he could do, he decided to begin the search.

He typed in the name and waited for the computer to begin the search. He leaned back in the chair, rubbing his hurt arm, wishing now that he hadn't taken it out of the sling. 'Why does she always defend him? Why do they all always defend him? He's a coward. There hasn't been one time that I can remember when someone hasn't had to bail him out of something. Why the hell is he still here? Sure he's good with computers and stuff like that, but why send him on missions if he's just going to freeze?'

The computer gave a beep, indicating that it was finished with the search. Brennan absentmindedly clicked on the first in the result listing.

"Jesse Kilmartin, Genomex Facility Alpha, 1997. Test 0056," came a male voice from the computers speaker.

"What the hell…." Brennan said as he sat up straight and focused his attention on the screen.

"Dr. Harrison presiding and Laura Brooks assisting. Now, how are you feeling today Mr. Kilmartin?"

The three figures were in a room that was much like the lab from earlier today. The doctor was dressed in scrubs, as was the women that he said was assisting him. She sat at a computer while he was hovering over Jesse, doing a last minuet check-up. They both were to the right of Jesse, allowing a clear view of him. Jesse had been strapped down to an operating table, he wore only a pair of scrub pants and there were what seemed like hundreds of wires coming off of him. His body looked so weak and abused, so small and sick that Brennan couldn't believe it was Jesse in the video.

"Are you ready to begin today's test?" Dr. Harrison said as he checked some of the electrodes on Jesse's torso. Jesse just looked at him, defeated. "Alright, Laura, please start recording. Let me know when you have a baseline down."

"Right, it'll be about twenty seconds," she said as she typed in a few commands. She glanced between the computers and the keyboard a few times before she finally said, "Baseline set. You can begin at any time."

"Alright, thank you Laura," Dr. Harrison reached over to a machine that looked to Brennan like some kind of defibrillator, but he wasn't sure. It was plugged into its own generator, and instead of the normal two paddles, there were about eight electrodes. Each was attached directly to Jesse's body; two at his temples, two at his heart, and the rest around his lungs and stomach.

Brennan's stomach dropped as he saw Harrison turn on the machine, there was no mistaking that sound. Whatever the machine was, it held a lot of electricity.

"Now Mr. Kilmartin, I am going to deactivate your governor, and when I tell you, I want you to mass when I tell you. If you try to escape again then I will activate the governor at max and leave it on. Do you understand?"

Jesse nodded, and swallowed. Harrison pressed a few buttons and then nodded to Jesse. "Alright, Mass. Don't un-mass until I tell you."

Jesse did as he was told and Harrison waited a minute before letting Jesse relax. "Did you get a reading?"

"The little freak will have to do it over, there was a glitch," Laura said as she typed commands to the computer. Brennan felt anger rise in him to hear her refer to Jesse as a freak, not because of the word, but the mater-of-fact way of saying it.

"You heard her Mr. Kilmartin. Again."

Again, Jesse did as he was told, and again he had to mass for a minute. By the time he was allowed to relax, he was out of breath, and Brennan could see the strain on his face.

"Did you get a reading?"

"Yes, nice and solid. Ready to continue."

"Good. Now Mr. Kilmartin, when I tell you I want you to mass again. Don't stop until I tell you, understand?"

Jesse just swallowed and prepared himself.

"Alright, mass."

Jesse massed, and a second afterwards Harrison started the machine. The evil sound of electricity reached Brennan's ears and he looked away from the screen. His attion returned when he heard Jesse screaming. Brennan looked up just in time to see him arched on the table, and Harrison frantically cutting the power to the machine.

"Now Mr. Kilmartin, I didn't say you could un-mass. Now we will try this again, and you will not un-mass until I tell you."

'Who the hell does this basterd think he is? What the hell is he doing?' Brennan thought, as he leaned closer to the monitor.

Again, Harrison conducted the test, and this time Jesse was able to remain massed until he was finished, but only just. Jesse lay still in on the table, gasping for breath.

"How'd we do? Are the readings solid?"

"Yes, the little freak did well."

"Now, Jesse, I'll give you a few moments to rest. Then we will continue."

Jesse shut his eyes, still gasping for air, while Harrison and Laura looked over the results. After several minutes, Harrison returned to Jesse's side and began speaking to him again.

"Ok Mr. Kilmartin, it's the same thing again. I tell you when and for how long, and you do it. Alright…" Harrison got ready to trigger the machine again, "ready…" Brennan watched as Jesse tried to get free from the table. Tears were running down his face, and desperation and fear radiated from his body.

Harrison flipped the switch and ordered Jesse to mass. Jesse screamed out in pain. His body was trying to comply, but Brennan could tell there was no way for him to fully mass. The red waves that indicted his mass form could only be seen at random times.

Brennan couldn't look away. Every muscle in his body told him to, but he couldn't. He just sat there watching as Harrison performed the test over and over again while Jesse screamed.

Finally a shaky hand reached past Brennan and turned it off. Brennan looked over his shoulder at Shalimar. She was paler then normal and had tears in her eyes. She swallowed once, and then spoke.

"They had him for two years. Harrison and that bitch. By the time Adam and I got to him….We spent six months just trying to get him to look at us in the eyes. He still has panic attacks if he doesn't have time to prepare. That's what happened today…."

Brennan sat in silence for a moment. 'Me and my big mouth,' he thought. He looked up at Shal and asked, "Where is he? I think I need to apologize."

* * *

so what do you think? it's my first mutant x fic, and if you want me to stop then i will. but if you like it i could add another chapter.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N Sorry if there are any formatting mistakes, i had some _fun_ with my computer. well, enjoy.

* * *

Brennan pulled his 1969 GTO in next to Jesse's 1965 red Mustang. One thing Brennan could never deny about Jesse was his taste in cars. He took a deep breath as he looked up at the factory where they had been earlier.

After his talk with Shalimar, he had gone in search of Jesse. He couldn't find him anywhere in Sanctuary, and with help from Emma, Brennan traced Jesse's comm. back to the factory. 'Well, here it goes,' he thought, as he took a deep breath. He entered the building.

There was no sign of anyone in the factory's main room. 'The GSA cleaned up after themselves,' Brennan said to himself as he scanned the area. And in fact there was no sign that there had ever been a fight here, such as it was. No signs of new mutants, no sign of secret agents bent on imprisoning every new mutant out there, and it was just as well.

Brennan stopped his scan, his eyes resting on the entrance to the lab. After seeing the video earlier he wanted to be as far away from a lab as possible, but every instinct he had told him that Jesse was in there. So that was where he went.

"Jesse?" He said as he walked in. The lights were off, and for a second Brennan thought that he had been wrong, but then he saw the figure sitting in the corner. Jesse was sitting in a semi-fetal position, his chin resting on his knees half hidden by the anesthetic tank. He looked slightly out of it, like a caged animal ready to lash out.

Brennan froze in the doorway. He didn't want to startle Jess. It was clear to him that Jess wasn't all there at the moment, and the last thing he wanted to do was hurt him while he was trying to apologize. "Jess?" he said as if he was talking to a sacred child.

Jess shifted slightly and raised his head. "I was kept here, well not here, but a place like this," Jesse began. Brennan caught a glimpse of a bruise forming on Jesse's jaw line and cursed himself slightly.

"Jesse, I'm…."

"You're right. I'm a coward. I keep letting it get to me. Keep letting them control me and you go hurt because of it."

"No Jess, Jess that's not true. Jess, what I said, Jess, I was angry. I'm sorry," Brennan moved father into the room, shutting the door behind him. He started to move to Jess, but saw him flinch, and so he moved to the wall opposite Jess and took a seat.

"You're sorry? You're the one who got hurt."

"Jess, you tried to explain, back at Sanctuary, and I didn't listen. All I saw was your mistake. I didn't think about the why," Brennan paused for a moment, trying to figure out how to say what he wanted. "Jess, I was doing a search for Adam…."

"Did you blow up my computer?"

Brennan chuckled, "No. I found the wrong file. Don't worry, you won't have to clean out the hard drive or do a virus sweep. It wasn't that kind of file," Brennan said before Jesse could speak. "I didn't make the search pattern small enough, and you came up as one of the results…"

"Adam's files, when the search is unspecified they always come up first…"

"Yeah, this one was a video feed, a recording…"

"Dr. Harrison and Laura Brooks, 1997 or was it 1998?"

Brennan was surprised at Jesse's question, and more so by the frankness Jesse asked. "1997…"

Jesse stood up, and began to pace. "That was the first year they had me. My mother thought they would help me, she told me that she was taking me to a specialized hospital to help with my "problem." I was fifteen." Brennan listened to Jesse, a knot growing in his stomach. "They ran about two hundred tests on me before Shal and Adam found me. Harrison was amazed that I could both mass and phase, and so young too. He wanted to know just how far my abilities extended," Jess said in disgust.

Brennan was still trying to cope with the fact that Jesse had suffered two hundred of those experiments. "How…how did you….?"

"How'd I live? How'd I cope? At first it I kept telling myself that my mother would figure it out, that these people weren't helping me. She never came. So I stopped believing in that and held onto the thought that at least I wasn't been locked in closets or having glasses being thrown at me or having people I don't even know hate me. Then they locked me in a pod, for three months," Jesse paused. I've barely been able to tell all this to Shal, and Adam's out of the question. So why Brennan? We've been competing since he got here, why am I telling him?' Jesse glanced at Brennan, who was watching him closely, waiting to hear what he was saying.

Jesse swallowed and went on. "When they pulled me out they gave me to Harrison. Harrison had this detached way of dealing with me. He never looked me in the eyes, he never called me Jesse or Jess. He'd often refer to me as a case number. But Laura, Laura was different. She was his whore; his nurse and lab tech, but a whore. She found pleasure in torturing me. I swear she would mess the tests up on purpose, just to prolong them. I wasn't Mr. Kilmartin to her or subject 58967 or what ever the fuck the number was. I was the Freak," Jesse kicked the tank that was in front of him and fell back against the wall, allowing his body to slide down it until he was in a crouched position.

Brennan had to look away from Jess. His own emotions were starting to become too powerful and he was afraid of losing it. "How did you get away?" he asked after a few minutes.

"Harrison had run all the tests he could. He decided that there was only one left, a complete Nero scan. Which meant they were going to cut my head open and look at my brain. He sent me back to Genomex. They had kept me at some facility, a space issue or something. But Genomex had the better equipment. They locked me in the pod, and I was thinking that I was dead, that this was it. And when the pod opened and I woke up there was the most beautiful blond feral in the world. "

"Shal," Brennan said with a smile. Jesse just nodded. There was another silence for what seemed like eternity. Each man trying to wrestle with his thoughts. Finally Brennan spoke up.

"I know what it's like to be beaten down Jess, to feel helpless," he said softly, looking Jesse in the eyes. "My father died in the line of duty; I was so young, I barely remember him. I do remember that I was never afraid of him, that he always was a good man," Brennan smiled at some fleeting memory from his early childhood, then his face turned hard and he continued on. "My mom remarried. The basterd, he was an alcoholic. I never knew what would piss him off, hell I didn't even have to try. He'd go off, drunk, sober, high, didn't matter. He'd get mad. Sometimes my mom got in his way, but most of the time it was me. At twelve years old, most kids are defending their comic books from their brother. I was defending my mother from her husband."

Again, the two fell into silence, until Jesse started to yawn. Then Brennan yawned, then Jesse again. "Hey, you smell that," Brennan asked. There was a sickly sweet smell filling the room that he hadn't noticed before. He also hadn't noticed how tired he was.

"No, but I hear something…" Jesse said, getting up slowly. He felt like his body had been running for miles and he was ready to collapse and sleep for about a hundred years. He looked at Brennan and noticed that Brennan was looking like he felt the same.

"Yeah, I hear it to. A hiss…" For some reason Brennan couldn't think clearly, his head was cloudy, and he couldn't walk. He felt himself falling forward….

"Brennan!" Jesse shouted as he watched Brennan fall into the tank. Before Jesse knew what happened, the tank had toppled over, rupturing, and Brennan was heading for the floor. With as much speed as Jesse could get, he grabbed a hold of Brennan and dragged him to the door. Jesse tired to open it, but the door wouldn't budge. A terrifying realization hit Jesse's half awake mind. The tank had held Vecuronium Bromide, a powerful anesthetic. Jesse looked at Brennan, who was already suffering the effects. If they stayed in the room any longer, they'd be paralyzed, maybe permanently.

Jesse franticly tried the door again, but it still wouldn't open. Out of options, he did the only thing he could think of. He phased the wall and pushed Brennan through. And that was the end of his strength.

Jesse slumped to the floor, his body failing him. With the last bit of strength he had, he rubbed his comm. ring activating an emergency signal he had implanted in it. 'Please Shal, help us.'

* * *

Jesse's going to go throuhg hell by the time i'm done.


	3. Chapter 3

Emma sat in front of the computer, half-heartedly searching the database. Brennan had begged her to take over his search for Adam, saying something about needing to talk with Jesse. Sensing his desperation and urgency, she agreed, thinking it would only take half an hour.

Yeah, that was two hours ago, and Emma was starting to get pissed off. "Brennan and Jesse better be having one deep conversation," Emma said to herself, closing another false lead. "God, what is she a ghost?" Emma asked the computer a few minuets later; frustration was getting the better of her. "And just my luck, Shal's out _hunting_!" Emma pushed herself away from the computer, spinning in the wheelie chair, when a flashing light on another computer caught her eye.

"What is that?" Emma got up and walked over to the console, and pressed a button on the keyboard. Instantly an emergency alert filed the screen, "_Jesse Kilmartion needs assistance."_ Emma felt fear rise in her stomach as she tried to raise Shal on the comm.

"Shal, can you here me?"

"Yeah Em, go ahead."

"Shal do you know where the boys are?"

"The last time I checked, Brennan was going to apologize to Jesse for opening his mouth. Why?"

"Because I'm getting an emergency alert from Jess' comm."

Shal was silent.

"Shal, you there?"

"Yeah Em. Can you bring up their location?"

"Give me a sec." Emma typed a few commands, and in seconds Sanctuary's own version of GPS came up with three blinking red dots. Two, seemingly unmoving dots were right next to each other. "It looks like they're at the factory from earlier, and they're not moving. Ninety Eight Walker Ridge Road. Actually, it's about twenty miles from you, Shal. "

"Find Adam and let him know what's going on, and I'll head over there. I want you to meet me there."

"Right."

* * *

"Now what can be so damn important that you summon me in the middle of dinner?" Manson Eckhart was not happy. Not only had Adam Kane's pets interfered with his plans again, but his evening had now been ruined by a frantic call from an intern.

Jessica Kilmont and Eric Freeman stood nervously before their employer. Eric was a small, red headed man who looked like he stepped out of Geeks-R-Us. He was a new mutant who could download himself into a computer, so to speak. Jessica was a brunette, with long legs that never got used. She was paraplegic, but nature always gives compensation. She had the ability to move things with her mind.

Together, the two new mutants monitored obsolete Genomex facilities. It was a rather boring and tedious job of watching computer screens and checking computer files, until today. In Lab Facility Seven, the computers showed unauthorized signs of inhabitants, meaning that someone, or something, had broken in. That had been three hours ago, and they had alerted the security officer of the day, Agent Witson.

Agent Witson had ordered them to bring up visual. Simple, easy, except the security system in the lab was lousy and, even with Eric's abilities, it took them two hours to get visual. However, it paid off, because who other should be in the lab than Jesse Kilmartin and Brennan Mulray.

"We have good news Mr. Eckhart, sir," Jessica said nervously.

"During our daily sweep of the outside facilities we discovered two members of Mutant X, Jesse Kilmartin and Brennan Mulray, in facility seven. There appears to be a gas rupture; one of the anesthetic tanks had been turned over, but they appear to be breathing," added Freeman.

"Very good Ms. Kilmont, Mr. Freeman. This is good news," Eckhart looked up at Witson who had been standing in the shadows of the small monitoring room. "Agent Witson, ready a team and prepare to bring our guests home."

"Already done sir, they will be there in ten minutes."

* * *

After a few minutes of clean air, Brennan was already shaking the effects of the drug. His head was pounding, his body felt like it had gone one on one with a angry bull, but he was waking up. And he was awake enough to know Jesse wasn't with him.

"Jess!" he called weakly, and his body was racked with coughing as his lungs tried to expel the excess gas. "Jess! Where are you!" Brennan pulled himself up to his knees, still trying to get his breath. He looked around him and noticed that the door to the lab was still shut. In an instant, memories flew across his brain; the smell of something sickly sweet, the sound of hissing, him falling into the tank… "Jess!" Brennan shouted and managed to get himself to the door.

He pulled at the handle frantically, but the handle had frozen in place…'or locked itself…' With expertise, Brennan sent a small shock into the door's lock, and the handle budged. The gas immediately hit Brennan as it rushed out of the room. His head started to go blank again and he felt himself falling, but he forced himself to shake it off and scan the room outside for Jesse.

Jesse was slumped next to the door, barely moving. "Jess, can you hear me?" Brennan asked as he picked him up in a fireman's carry. "Man you're heavy. What has Adam been feeding you?" Brennan laid him down gently about eight feet from the door and began checking his pulse.

Jesse was alive. His heart was beating, but barely. His color was terrible, almost a grayish ash color. He gave no response when Brennan tried to wake him up. He didn't even move when Brennan smacked his face. "This isn't good," Brennan said.

* * *

Emma ran hurriedly into the lab where she knew Adam was. Sure enough, the scientist was hard at work, bent over a microscope. Emma took a moment to catch her breath and calm herself down. Her heart was going a mile a second and a million "what ifs" were going through her mind.

"Adam?" she called from the doorway.

Adam flinched at Emma's call. He jerked up, knocking over a glass of water next to him. "Oh. Emma, you surprised me. I was just studying a piece of fish-lizard hybrid cell structure. This is fantastic; no matter what type of water I add the cells don't seem to be affected…" Adam trailed off as he saw the expression on Emma's face.

"Brennan and Jess are in trouble. Jesse activated his alert. They're at the factory from earlier. Shal's already on her way. She wants us to meat her there with the Helix."

"What are we waiting for?" Adam said as he followed Emma to the hanger.

* * *

Shal had been 'hunting' when Emma called. It had been peaceful, just her and Mother Nature, looking for a fawn and doe. She was enjoying the rush and the feel of her body melting into the rhythm of nature. Now she was frantically racing down the road on her bike, still five miles away from Brennan and Jess.

She knew that they were hurt; she could feel it. Which only made her increase her speed. Scenery was a blur as her mind raced through a hundred possibilities, and after an eternity she finally saw the factory come into view. However, it didn't fill her with relief, instead a new dread filled her, and she cursed with words she didn't know she had.

The GSA had beaten her there.

* * *

Brennan had been trying to wake Jess for the last five minutes, without any luck. He now had to defend himself and Jess from the ten GSA agents that were now headed their way.

"Sanctuary? Can anyone hear me?" he spoke softly into his comm. while trying to keep up with the ten agents who were now fanning out in view. There was no answer, and Brennan felt his heart kick into overdrive. There was no way he felt well enough to take on these agents, not to mention that he had torn open the stitches in his arm when he carried Jesse out. He risked a glance at Jess, who still looked terrible.

"I will never let you live this down if you sleep through this," Brennan said as he slowly rose to his feet, diverting his full attion to the agents in front of him. Brennan formed a tassel coil and prepared to fight, "Dream of a miracle bro."


	4. Chapter 4

By the time Shalimar reached the fight, Brennan was losing ground. The agents had backed him into a corner; his body was failing him as it slowly began to shut down. Shalimar paused in the door, briefly, to survey the scene.

Jesse was unconscious about twenty feet from the main entrance to her right; two agents were also unconscious about five feet from him. Brendan was surrounded and losing ground fast. Shalimar's eyes flashed gold as and she joined the fight.

Brennan was facing off with two agents. His strength allowed him to do little more than block, and even that was failing. The agent on his left took a swing at his face, which he quickly knocked away, but at the same time the agent on his right hit him in the stomach, knocking him to the ground. As Brennan was doubled over in pain, an agent prepared to strike him for the knock out, when he was tossed off his feet into three of his teammates.

"Now you boys wouldn't mind if I joined the fun, would you?" Shalimar said as she took a protective stance in front of Brennan.

"Hey Shal, thanks for coming, glad you could make it," Brennan said as he slowly got to his feet.

Shal gave a smug smirk, and charged at the center of the gathering agents. Brennan watched with pure amusement as Shal punched, kicked, flipped and tackled each agent that came her way. However, he and Shal both failed to notice the agent who didn't join the fight.

* * *

Emma and Adam had been in the air for ten minutes, and still had another ten to go. Emma was getting impatient. Always being the one to be left at home, she was excited to be able to do something. Adam gave her a knowing smile as he glanced at her, seated in the co-pilot seat.

"We'll be there soon Emma. Then we'll need to find out what happened that caused Jesse to trigger his emergency alert. He may be hurt."

"Or Brennan may have hit him again," Emma responded, trying to make a joke to lighten the mood.

Adam sighed, "I swear I'm going to lock those two in a room and just let them beat each other until they finally decide to talk."

Emma laughed, "Then Eckhart wouldn't have to worry about them interfering anymore."

The two fell into silence again, and Emma leaned back, shutting her eyes.

It came quickly to her, the feeling. It started out that way, a strong wanting, that she found she wasn't able to push away. Instead she seemed to be pulled towards it. It pulled her to the source, to the mind. It was an awful place, dark, uncaring, calculating. She was standing in a lab. She could see a bed table, a sink and cabinets. A man stood in the center of the room. He wore a suit, and he was covered in shadows so thick Emma couldn't make out any features, except his eyes. Two glowing oval orbs that seemed to be focused on Emma, but it was like he was looking right through her. She followed his gaze to the wall behind her where a window made up the wall.

It wasn't like any other window that Emma knew; it looked normal, but there was a feel to it that Emma found foreign, and it scared her. What scared her more was the view. The window showed Shal in the center of a circle of agents, clearly enjoying herself, while Brennan did his best to keep the agents from taking the advantage. That wasn't the problem.

What was scaring Emma, was that the window now showed a motionless Jesse, and the feeling of want and greed blazed. It was so strong that it made Emma scream, a soundless action that some how attracted the shadow man. He turned to her and, it seemed to Emma, started pushing air. Only the air pushed against her and forced her back, and out of the room.

She snapped up so quickly in her seat that Adam was again, startled. Her heart was racing, her palms were sweaty, and she had gone two shades paler.

"Emma, what's wrong?" Adam asked anxiously.

"We have to get there now," she said, eyes unfocused.

"We're almost there, just three more minutes," Adam said reassuringly.

"No Adam, you don't understand…they want Jesse...they have him…"

* * *

A/N: Sorry, this is really bad. I typed this way to fast and it's too choopy, pluse i made you wait and i don't have a lot to show for it. I'm sorry.


	5. Chapter 5

Shalimar was getting annoyed. At first the fight was exhilarating, tossing the agents around like rag dolls. At first it seemed like she had the upper hand, but now it just seemed endless. With Brennan unable to help except for the odd volt, it seemed that for every agent she knocked down, two were taking their place. And then there was the one who seemed content to just watch; he was making her nervous.

"How you doing Bren?" She asked, dodging another punch from the agent she'd been fighting.

She heard the sound of another volt hitting an agent, and a thud, before he answered, "Well we won't have to worry about him, that's what, three down?" Shalimar finally got tired of playing with her latest opponent, and clothes lined him in the head. He dropped like a bag of bricks. "Make that four down," Brennan said, as he faced off against another agent.

This time he didn't get the chance to prepare a tesla coil. One of the agents, a big guy who looked like he was supposed to be blocking the door in front of bar, noticed that Brennan had been avoiding the use of one of his arms. So he took advantage of it, grabbing Brennan by his bad arm and tossing him into the wall.

That was the last thing that the agent would be able to do for a while, as Shalimar had nailed him with a double handed fist in the back of the head. She quickly checked on Brennan, who was dead to the world, then tried to get him to his feet. It was then that the agent who was watching the fighting made his move.

In a second, the small, frail had a hulk like transformation. His cloths ripped as his muscles grew to the size of a pro-football player's and his body now looked like it was ready for a one on one with Goldberg. Shalimar watched in horror as he raced towards Jesse and scooped him up. Trapped by agents and Brennan's dead weight, she could only watch helplessly as the agent carried Jesse out of the factory.

* * *

Emma didn't wait for the Helix to power down before she was out, and racing to the factory entrance. She stopped in mid stride about seven feet from the door and watched, terrified, as a massive agent ran out with Jesse, towards one of the black SUVs. 

Emma shook herself clear of her fear and gathered her thoughts, and in one breath the psyonic sent a blast at the agent. But it came right back to her, knocking her down, gasping. Adam rushed to her side to help, but she pushed him away, "He has Jesse. Go, I'm fine!"

Adam nodded and took off after the agent, but was too late to get to them. The agent and Jesse sped passed him in the black SUV.

* * *

"When were you planning to tell me that Jesse Kilmartin was in the process of being reacquired," Dr. Harrison asked Manson Eckhart. Harrison was furious as he paced Ekhart's office. "He is my patient and I should have been notified."

"You weren't notified because I didn't want you to be. Jesse Kilmartin is a member of Mutant X, and he is being brought here for interrogation and not experimentation. Besides, you completed all your tests with him years ago," Eckhart said dismissively.

"But now his powers have grown! They're more controlled! He's stronger, and there is so much more to that I can do now!"

"Not until I'm done with him, Harrison. He has information that I need, and I will not let you interfere with him until I have it."

Harrison was outraged. For two years he had be in charge of Kilmartin, only to have Kane steal him away before he could complete his final test. Now with him so close, it was absolutely frustrating that Eckhart wouldn't let him near him. 'Damn the interrogation, you can ask him questions under….that's it!'

"I have an idea Eckhart, why don't we combine the two?"

* * *

AN: Oh dear, what could ever happen to poor Jesse? And you Brenann fans, don't worry he's got a big role still. So does Emma and Shal, but this is mainly a Jess and Bren story. 


	6. Chapter 6

As the GSA's black SUV speed away, rage, fear, and grief engulfed Emma, and she felt her powers beginning to overtake her. She let out an ear-piercing scream and released the energy that had threatened to overtake her, keeping enough control to protect Adam, Shalimar, and Brennan.

Shalimar was still supporting an unconscious Brennan with the remaining GSA closing in on her, when she heard Emma's scream. Not even a second later she felt a powerful rush of air, and watched as the agents fell to the ground, unconscious.

"When good girls get mad, Mutant X style," Shal mumbled as she began to drag Brennan to the door. Adam and Emma met her half way, Emma aiding her while Adam took Brennan.

"They have Jess," Shal informed the others, "This guy just went all Hulk on me, and before I knew it…"

"We know Shal. We saw…" Emma said, choking on tears. "He's in a lot of danger."

"And right now so is Brennan. We have to get him back to Sanctuary and examine him," Adam said, as he continued to carry Brennan back to the Helix.

Thirty minutes later, Adam was in Sanctuary's lab. Running tests on a still unconscious Brennan, while a subdued Emma and a furious Shalimar waited in the dojo.

"I can't take this! We should be out there looking for Jess! Not in here waiting for Brennan to wake up!" Shalimar fumed.

"Shal, calm down, we can't do anything until we know what happened," Emma said, trying to reason with the fairel.

"Damn it! I know what happened! Jesse was hurt but instead of getting him to safety, like I should have, I chose to fight, thinking that you and Adam would be there to watch my back and take care of Jesse! But now, Brennan is hurt, the GSA have Jesse, and are doing lord knows what to him! All because you couldn't stop the jolly green giant from escaping!" Shalimar sunk down, the outburst tiring her.

Emma was speechless, overpowered by the feelings that Shalimar was radiating. There was the outer layer of anger, but the deeper, inner layers of guilt, fear, and loss. Tears began to fall from Emma's eyes as she moved from her seat on the dojo's stairs to Shal, wrapping her arms protectively around her. At first Shal tried to pull away, but quickly succumbed to her emotions and began crying, while Emma rocked her.

"It's going to be alright Shal. We're going to get him back. This wasn't your fault. We'll get him back Shal."

"I know Em. I'm sorry, I didn't mean…" Shalimar said after she gained more composure.

Emma released Shal and took a seat next to her. "You're right though. I don't know what happened. One minute I was ready to clobber the guy, I had complete control, but then the second I touched his mind, WHAM! I was hit with my own power. It's my fault," Emma said almost losing her composure.

"Don't say that Em. You tired, and that wasn't your fault, the guy just knew…"

"It wasn't him Shal, it wasn't that agent. It was someone else…" Emma said staring off into space as she remembered the event.

Shal was about to question her further, when Adam interrupted.

"Well, as far as I can tell he's just going to have a major headache when he wakes up. That arm is going to take another week to heal, but he's fine. He has a few bruises, but he also inhaled some Vecuronium Bromide, which is an anesthetic that can cause some serious damage if exposure is too great. But Brennan seems fine. " Adam said rubbing his temples, after he was done reading the results from Brennan's scan.

"That's great!" Shal said, sighing in relief. "When will he wake up?"

"I'm not sure, but just let him rest. He needs to regain his strength," Adam said. "Now that Brennan's in the clear, we need to focus on Jesse."

* * *

Jesse woke up in a cold, sterile room. He lay on a operating table, stripped down to his jeans. Though he wasn't strapped down, he couldn't move. He didn't need to look around to know where he was though. The white room, with blinding lights, silver appliances and the smell of bleach, all screamed Genomex Labs. Somewhere behind him a door opened, and a person entered. He could here the heels heading for him.

Jesse felt the panic in him rise. He wanted desperately to obey his body's demand to run, but he was powerless. A waft of perfume and a brush of hair on his face made his heart freeze. However, it was the voice that chilled him.

"Welcome back, my little Freak."

* * *

A/N: Sorry, it's another short chap for such a long wait. The next one'll be better. 


	7. Chapter 7

Laura Brooks leaned over top of Jesse, letting her dark hair fall onto his face. It had been a long time since she had seen Jesse, and she had a lot to catch up on. He had grown so much since the last time, no longer thin and pale, but now had lean muscles, slightly tanned to bring out his eyes. Laura couldn't resist one little touch, so she rubbed her fingers along Jesse's abs, and spoke to him in a false, motherly voice, "Welcome back, my little Freak."

* * *

"Tell me again how you plan to combine our two needs, Harrison?" Eckhart said, looking into the lab that Jesse was in. He watched as Harrison's nurse, Laura Brooks, started preparing the blond mutant for the test Harrison had planned.

Harrison sighed. For the last two hours Harrison had been explaining and re-explaining what he intended. He was starting to get a little annoyed with Eckhart. "I plan to repeat two tests that I preformed on him when he was younger. The first one involves a test of his capability; how quickly he can respond and what natural reaction a stimulation will create. The second test involves electricity and how it affects his brain waves while he is using his powers." Harrison took a breath, and continued, ""Each test will be done while he is fully aware, and will be in safer pain. His mind will become cloudy; his defenses will be lowered, making him vulnerable. You may ask him what you want, and with a hope that the pain would stop, he is most likely to answer truthfully."

"It sounds like you have thought this through. However, what if Mr. Kilmartin does not answer our questions? What if he is rendered useless, or brain damaged, or even killed?"

"He won't be killed Mr. Eckhart. There is a built in fail safe. If his vitals enter the danger area, the test is designed to automatically shut off."

"Hmm. I want someone else to be in there with you. I want to be able to monitor the interrogation from my office." Eckhart moved over to the door of the observation room and opened it. In rolled Jessica Kilmont, looking a little nervous, and was followed by Agent Witson. "Agent Witson will be in charge of the interrogation, and Ms. Kilmont will be in charge of the monitoring."

"Are you trying to ruin my work? They will just get in my way." Harrison said in a very hush tone, as his eyes fell on Jessica's wheelchair.

"First of all Dr. Harrison, it is my belief that your research is second to locating Adam Kane and Mutant X. And as far as getting in your way, I am a certified Medical Technician. I specialize in recording operations and other procedure," Jessica said calmly, anger now replacing her nerves.

Eckhart gave her a smile that made the hair on the back of her neck stand, and said, "I couldn't have put it any better myself Ms. Kilmont," he then looked at Harrison and said, "Now, there will be no farther arguing. As soon as Ms. Kilmont has set up her equipment then you may begin." With that, Eckhart left the furious Harrison to glare at the two new complications in his life.

* * *

Jesse shivered at the touch, and tried to pull away. At first he thought that his body's unwillingness to move was from fear, like earlier. However, now he was sure it was something else; his body felt heavy, like it was planted in cement. He couldn't even tense his muscles.

"What did you do to me?" That's what he tried to say, but it came out more as a "mumph."

Laura laughed, a soft, seductive sound that made Jesse's insides turn. "Don't worry my little Freak," she said as she rustled his hair, "Dr. Harrison will be with you shortly." With that, she walked out of the lab and into the observation room, leaving Jesse alone with his panic.

* * *

Brennan woke up with a pounding head ache and a dull throb in his arm. "Mmmm…" he groaned as he tried to reposition in the bio bed.

"Wow, take a easy Bren. Don't rush it," Adam said, coming quickly over to him. He had been in the lab waiting for Brennan to come around after assigning Shalimar and Emma different tasks to find out where the GSA had taken Jesse.

"What hit me?" Brennan asked, rubbing the back of his head.

"You were tossed into a wall, and you've been out for about two hours. You tore your stitches, and it may put your arm's recovery back a week, but other then that, you're fine," Adam said as he checked Brennan's vitals.

"Guess it could be worse," Brennan said, glancing around. He noticed that Jess wasn't there, which didn't seem right to him. Jess had been out for the count the last time he saw him, and knowing Adam, there was no way Jess could be anywhere but the med lab. Brennan couldn't help but feel a slight ping of fear. "Adam how's Jesse? Is he alright?"

Adam froze in mid motion, which caused Brennan's heart to go into over drive. There was a tense silence while Adam tried to find the right words. "What do you remember Brennan? What can you tell me about what happened?"

Brennan did like this at all; Adam trying to avoid answering was never a good sign. "Jess and I got into it after you let me go. Umm…Jess left, and after I had a chance to cool down I went after him. I traced his comm. to the factory we were in earlier. We started talking, and I apologized. There was a gas leaking, and I passed out. Jesse must have phased me through the wall, because the door was jammed or locked or something. So he must have phased the wall, but I'm guessing that he passed out before he could get out because I had to go in after him. As soon as I got him out that's when the GSA showed up." Then it dawned on Brennan, the GSA; he had thought that he had led them away from Jess, and that Shalimar would hold them off, but maybe, "They have him, don't they?"

Adam looked down at the floor, then met Brennan's eyes, he said, "Shalimar is working on hacking into their computer files and Emma is trying to see if she gets a hit off Jess. We don't know anything for sure."

Brennan sunk back into the chair, fear pulsing through his veins. 'This can't be happening.'

* * *

AN: Poor Jesse, what so ever is going to happen to him? Got any suggestions besides what i'm planing? ; P 


	8. Chapter 8

AN: "Poor Jesse," why is everybody saying poor Jesse? i mean, Brennan and Shalimar have been hurt more then he has. I haven't really done anything to him...not much...not yet... ;P

Enjoy.

* * *

Jesse shivered as the Harrison cleansed the back of his neck with an alcohol swab. All around him was a sort of organized chaos of equipment, being moved and hooked up. It reminded him of the time Adam had upgraded Sanctuary; the two of them spent days working on all the circuits. 

His thoughts of home were quickly chased away by Harrison's voice. "Well now, Mr. Kilmartin, let me explain what is going to happen," he said as he reached for a strange collar. The object was thin and completely metallic, except for a small box like clasp attached to the side. From the glimpse that Jesse got, it looked like a remote transmitter. He couldn't be sure, but he knew it was bad.

"Since you barely have control of your body at the moment, I thought I'd help you. The gas you inhaled should work its way out of your system, but I make no promises that your paralysis will end. Until we know if movement will return, I will be using this. What I have here is a new device that I have designed. I have programmed it to your specific neural system. This gives me control of your powers, so I may run tests on you more conveniently."

With a slight click the device was secured around Jesse's neck, and he gasped as he felt a needle insert itself into his brain stem. He was lowered back down into a lying position on the table. Then it was Laura's turn to prep Jesse.

Harrison exited the lab, but before he left said, "When you have finished setting up Ms. Kilmont, send word for me so we may begin."

Jesse's mind flinched at the name, 'That's familiar, that name. Where did I hear it?' But his concentration was again interrupted by a cool sensation, this time on his stomach. A gelatin like goo was rubbed onto his stomach, chest, and neck. Jesse knew what would come next, and felt Laura pressing the small sensor pads; first on his neck, then his chest, and then his stomach. But her hands didn't stop there; he felt them trace a path down to his waist. Jesse drew in a sharp breath as he felt her hand slip under the waistband of his pants.

"Why don't you go and get Dr. Harrison. I'm almost finished here, and by the time you get back I'll be ready to start," interrupted a soft, country voice.

"Ah well, maybe later, my little Freak," Laura said as she patted Jesse's leg and, turned to leave. When she was gone Jesse felt a small hand clasp over his, and another turn his head.

At first Jesse started to panic; his breathing increased, his body started to tense, but one look at the friendly face in front of him, and he felt himself relax slightly. The woman in front of him was a brunette in a wheelchair. To him she looked like she fell out of heaven to Jesse.

"Hey, it's ok. I'm not going to hurt you," the woman said gently, and Jesse relaxed even more. "My name's Jessica, and I'm going to monitoring your vitals. Can you move at all?"

Jesse blinked, and she gave a knowing nod. "Alright, then here's what I'm going to do: there is a camera above your head so i can keep an eye on you, and if things get to bad for you, if you can, I want you to blink three times in a row and I'll try to stop it. Think you can do that?"

Jesse blinked three times, and Jessica gave him a soft smile and squeezed his hand, before she let go and went back to work.

'God, what are they going to do to me?' Jesse thought to himself.

* * *

Brennan was up and around, anxiously waiting in the dojo for news. Adam had been keeping him out of the loop, saying that he needed to rest and that Shal and Emma could take care of things. But Brennan was feeling guilty. 

"Damn it! How could this have happened!" he exclaimed, frustrated. "Shal and I were right there! The fucking agents were nowhere near Jess! How the hell did they get him?" Then a thought hit Brennan, and he sat on the dojo steps. "What the hell was Jesse thinking, going back there, in the first place?"

"He wanted to see if he could face it," Shal said from the entranceway. Brennan jumped at the ferule's sudden appearance, and he turned sheepishly to look at her. She walked over to him, not looking like a furious mother bear like she had been earlier, but now a gentle, worried mother. "He wanted to see if he would freeze up again, and then see if he could handle it." She sat next to him and took his hand in hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "No one is blaming you Bren, this wasn't your fault."

"The hell it wasn't!" Brennan said as he jumped up and began pacing, angrily. "I shut the door to that damn room! He had to phase to get me out and ended up being trapped inside! And I couldn't even defend him when the agents got there!" Brennan stopped pacing and slumped his shoulders, defeated.

"Brennan, you had no idea that the tank was leaking. You had no idea that the GSA were on their way. You were just as much affected by the gas as Jesse and yet you still went back to save him. Not to mention that you took on ten agents, by yourself, while you were drugged, and literally one handed!"

"But Shal, who called you? Huh? I tried my comm. and didn't get through! It had to be Jesse! Even trapped in the gas he still pushed himself to get help for us! And I couldn't do that for him!"

"You were thrown into a wall! I was there, remember? I watched a guy that looked like he could break down the gates of hell grab your bad arm and throw you into a wall! I watched as another agent, a runt of a guy, Hulk out and then take my best friend to the open arms of Eckhart!"

"And I was right there as the Hulk man was escaping," came a voice from behind. "I sent him a blast, the most powerful I could come up with, but something deflected it right back at me. And I locked up, I let my own fear get to me and because of that he got away with Jesse. You want to feel guilty Bren, Shal? Fine! But you're not the only ones at fault here. So why don't you both stop mopping and Think about how we're going to get Jesse back and make Eckhart pay."

The pair turned to see a very angry psionic standing just a few feet away. It took a moment for Shal to really sense the other emotions from her friend, but as soon as she realized what they were her heart stopped.

Emma," she said, her throat suddenly dry, "what did you see?"


	9. Chapter 9

"Emma, what's happened?" Shalimar asked again, in her calm, 'tell me now or I'll kick your ass', voice. She had walked up to her and took hold of Emma, so she had no choice but to look Shal in the eyes.

Emma started to cave. Her eyes began to tear, and her throat started to close up. She took hold of Shal's arm and let herself crumble, unknowingly losing control of her powers.

With her mind so opened, but so distracted with her own emotions, instead of being bombarded, she was doing the bombarding. Shal gasped as the emotions hit her, and she felt her knees buckle. Brennan, who was ten feet away, stumbled and almost fell when the wave hit him.

It wasn't just the intensity of the emotions that was painful; it was the number and the type of feelings. At first, all Shal and Bren could make out was Emma's own fear, anger, guilt, grief, and hopelessness; enough to make their heads pound. Then they felt Jesse.

Jesse's was ten times that of Emma's.

He was scared to the point of panic. Helpless, restrained; like a prisoner in his own body. There was anger; lots of anger, at the ones who had taken him, and even at himself for letting himself be captured. For letting them do this to him. There was guilt for the worry and grief his friends were going through. But the most powerful emotion was pain, both physical and mental. He was screaming inside, in fact, it was beyond screaming. They couldn't even begin to understand how much pain there was.

It seemed that everything they were doing to him had no escape, like it all was being kept inside him, and he had no way of releasing it. He had no control over anything, not even his own body. And there was no end to it. It continued on and on, barring him. It was terrible. One moment, there seemed to be relief, an end, the next it was a raw shooting pain; uncontrolled, unspecified, all through out his body. What they were doing to him, Shal couldn't take it. She pushed Emma away, screaming, and fell to her knees.

Brennan was in shock; all he could do was stare blankly at Emma, who too had fallen and was crying. That was how Adam found them.

* * *

Jesse was lying on the operating table, gasping for breath. Harrison had deiced to retest the effects of electricity on him and his powers, only with Harrison in complete control of him; he had no way to stop the test. Jessica had told him to blink if it got to be too much, but how could he do that when he was phased or massed way beyond his limits?

'Well I was way beyond my limits and you didn't stop it,' Jesse thought. 'God, it didn't hurt this bad the last time.'

The worst part of it was that his body had no way to prepare for the burst of electricity. And then when the pain came, he had no way to release the intensity. He still couldn't open his mouth, and he could barely tense his muscles. But, his body didn't feel as heavy, and definitely not as numb.

Harrison had spent three hours on him. And he had also spent at least half an hour arguing with an agent, a Witson, who Jesse thought sounded familiar.

"I'm telling you that he can't even talk!" Harrison said, impulsive as ever.

"And I am telling you to stop your test until he can. Now that he knows what we can do to him, we should let him reflect on it," said Witson, cool and calmly.

"Then the data will be corrupt! I'll have to start over again!"

"Too bad," Witson said.

Jesse tried to tune them out and focus on recovering, but a touch to his abdomen stopped him from withdrawing. Some one had started to massage his right leg. Jesse tensed his muscles. "Relax Freak. I'm not going to do much," came Laura's seductive voice.

"FINE!" Shouted Harrison, as the arguing continued between the two men. "Laura, sedate him! We've been forced to stop for now."

* * *

Adam didn't know who to go to first. Emma was on her side, clutching her head and crying, Shalimar was on her knees, clutching her stomach, and Brennan just looked out of it. So Adam did the only thing he could think of, "What's going on?"

Brennan was the first to recover, and went to check on Shalimar, while Adam pulled a now silent Emma into his lap.

"Emma got a hit off Jess. They're…they're, torturing him. She projected it to us. It's bad Adam. I didn't get the full hit; Shal did, but my God Adam, what they're doing to him…Adam, it's…."

Adam nodded, and stood up with Emma in his arms. He looked at Shal, who Brennan had managed to calm down considerably. "How are you?"

"I want to kill them," she said her eyes flashing gold.

"Brennan, help her up. Let's get them to the lab so I can make sure they're ok."

* * *

Ok, now you can say poor Jesse.


	10. Chapter 10

"Well, everything looks fine. How do you two feel?" Adam asked Shalimar and Emma as they sat in the bio beds. Shalimar had been mumbling the entire time about how they were just wasting time, and that they needed to get over to Genomex right away. Emma, however, was silent. She was still a little shaken up from not one, but two sudden blasts from her powers. Brennan sat quietly off to the side, watching everything.

"I'm fine Adam! Like I've told you for the last twenty minutes! Why are we still here? They're hurting him!" Shalimar said, loudly. Adam just ignored it, and focused on Emma.

"Emma, how are you?"

"I feel so strange Adam," she said, putting her hand to he head. "I connected to someone, I mean, that blast that hit Shal and Brennan, that wasn't me. When I was meditating, I was concentrating so hard on Jess that I let everything else just drift away. I wasn't paying attention to any thing else. And I got so close to Jess, I mean, I was right there with him. I felt everything he was going through, mentally, and I…I saw it. He was on a table. There weren't straps or anything, but he couldn't move, and there were all these sensors attached to him, and Harrison had complete control…." Emma's breath came more haggard as she fought back the burst of emotion she felt.

"It's alright Emma, take your time," Adam said, putting his hand on her shoulder for comfort.

Emma took a minute to calm herself. "I wasn't in Jesse Adam. I was in the same guy as before; it was the same mind, the same coldness…I can't explain it Adam. I was in a person, connected to someone in that room, but it wasn't Jesse."

Adam nodded, but remained silent. He had a serious problem right now: Jesse was being tortured by Eckhart, Shalimar was close to murder, Brennan was tearing himself apart from the inside out, and now Emma's powers were on the fritz. He wanted to run tests on her, to find out if what she was experiencing was just a growth spurt, but they didn't have the time. Getting to Jesse and bringing him home was the more important then anything to the rest of them. Adam sighed, and rubbed his head.

"Shalimar what did you find on Jesse's location?" he asked.

"From all the paper work and data I got, he's at Genomex. They're keeping him in the testing facility," she said bitterly.

"Emma, do you agree?"

"He's definitely in a lab. Yeah, I agree."

"Ok. I hate to say this, but you and Shalimar are the only ones who can go in there right now."

"Wait a minute Adam! What about me?" Brennan said for the first time since they got to the med lab.

"Brennan you're injured."

"Yeah, and Emma was just brought to her knees from a sudden power burst!" Brennan said, his voice raising.

"Emma, you said you connected with this mind before, right?" Adam asked, turning to her.

"Yes," she said.

"When?" Adam pressed.

"Once in the Helix, on our way to the factory. The other just now, meditating."

"Both times, were you relaxed? Did you let your walls drop even slightly?"

Emma nodded.

"Have you ever connected to this mind when your walls were up? When you had complete control?"

"No."

Adam turned back to Brennan, "As long as Emma has control, and her defenses stay up, she'll be fine. You on the other hand, depend on the movement of your arms to use your powers. And one of those arms has not only been shot, but has had its stitches torn, has been re-opened, and then used to toss you into a wall. On top of that, you were exposed to Vecuronium Bromide, where you were unconscious for god knows how long. Then were knocked out again, and remained unconscious for three hours. It's too dangerous to send you."

Brennan opened his mouth to say something, but Adam beat him to it. "Brennan, I understand. You want to help Jesse. You feel responsible, but getting yourself hurt, captured, or killed isn't going to help anyone."

Brennan just nodded, and before he said anything he'd regret, walked out.

Shalimar stood to go after him, but Emma stopped her. "Let him go Shal, he doesn't want anyone but Jess right now."

Shal just nodded, and stood by her friend, reluctantly letting Brennan go. "So what's the plan, Adam?"

Adam sighed, and looked at his two girls. "Go in and get him out. I don't know what else to tell you. My only order is that under no condition are you, Emma, to let your guard down. And Shal, under no condition are you to go completely feral. You're there to get Jesse, not go on a mass murder spree."

The two girls nodded their understanding.

* * *

Jesse lay in a blissful drug induced haze, which was quickly coming to an end. He had been left alone for the last thirty minutes, and was starting to let his defenses fall, just a little. 'It's probably the drug,' he thought to himself, knowing he could never feel comfortable in a Genomex facility. 

As always, Jesse had spoken too soon. The door to the lab opened, and in stepped Laura. "Hello my darling Freak. How are you doing?" Jesse felt his stomach tighten as he heard her approach. "What? Cat has your tongue?" she said as she brushed her hand along his right leg, and up to his stomach. "That's alright, I like the silent types," she said as she leaned over him, her lips brushing agents his.

Jesse flinched, and tried to move his head, but her hand was holding it in place. "Oh, don't worry Freak, I don't bite on the first kiss," she said. Then she pressed her lips against his. When she pulled away, Jesse's face flashed with anger, and he spat in her face.

Laura pulled away stunned, and wiped the spit from her face. But then she laughed, and smacked Jesse across his face. She yanked his head up, by his hair, so he had no choice but to look at her. "You can spit, so that means you can talk. Harrison will be thrilled to hear that. So now we can resume the testing." With that she let his head fall, and kissed him one more time before she left.

As her footsteps drifted down the hall, Jesse tried to calm his hart. "Shit," he said, through a dry, sore throat. A few minutes later, Jesse heard the sounds of the lab door opening and closing. He started to panic, thinking that it was Laura returning with Harrison, but then he felt that same comforting hand take his.

"Hey, how you doing?" asked that gentle country voice.

Jesse turned his head, stiffly and slowly, towards her. "You didn't stop it…" he choked out.

Jessica gave him a soft smile, tears gleaming in her eyes. "I know, and I'm sorry. That agent, Witson, he was watching me the entire time. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

Jesse closed his eyes, and swallowed. 'She sounds like she means it, but so did my dad when he use to tell me he loved me.' "A…Ad….Adam Cane…ca…ca…call…" Jesse said, breaking into a coughing fit.

"It's alright. It's ok, shh. Take a deep breath," Jessica said trying to help him. Jesse was able to breathe again after a moment, and he calmed down. "You want me to call someone for you?" she asked.

"Call Adam."

"Adam Cane? I can't do that…I…I don't know…." She asked, fear causing her voice to shake.

"Please…"

Jessica looked at Jesse. The face that she saw was more like a four year old's. He reminded her of a lost child. She couldn't help it; her heart went out to him, and she gave in. "Alright, I'll try. But I have no idea how to call him…."

"Number… 9…99…252…66…77" Jesse said before giving into another coughing fit.

"Ok, hang on…" Jessica said as she searched her pockets for a pen. She found one and began to write the number on a bare part of her arm. "999-252-6677, Right?" she glanced up at Jesse who was still trying to catch his breath. He gave her a quick nod.

"Alright, hang in there, Jesse, right? That's your name isn't it?"

Jesse looked at her, breathing heavily, and nodded.

"Ok, Harrison is going to be back any minute, and they're going to start it all again. This time they're going to question you, you know that right?"

Again, Jesse just nodded.

"Ok, I'll make the call as soon as I can, but right now I have to start going through the system checks. Do you need anything?"

Jesse shook his head, slowly, pain flashing across his face. Jessica squeezed his hand, and went back to work.

As Jessica predicted, Harrison, Laura, and the agent walked in. "Hello Mr. Kilmartin. I hear that you have deiced to grace us with your voice. Is that true?" Harrison said, now starting to examine Jesse. Jesse just glared at him.

"It'll do you some good to answer the doctor Mr. Kilmartin. It might be less painful you down the road," came the dry, calm voice of Agent Witson.

Inside Jesse's head he felt something trying to get in. He felt what he could only describe as a hand trying to push its way through him. And it hurt, a lot. "Stop…" was all Jesse could choke out, and the invisible hand disappeared.

"Ah, very good Mr. Kilmartin. Now, your vitals are strong, and you're speaking again, so we will continue with the test." Harrison looked up at Witson, challenging the agent to stop him.

"Before the test, one simple question; answer it and Harrison will give you a sedative before he begins," Harrison grumbled something, but Witson ignored him, "It would be far better for you."

"I can take his test," Jesse said, trying to look at Witson, who was in the habit of standing just outside of his visual range.

"Oh, yes, you have handled the experiments before very well, but that wasn't like this one. You see the electricity that you were experiencing was focused on the surface of your body. Now the electricity is going to be directly applied to your organs, like your lungs and your hart. It will be quite painful."

Jesse took a deep breath and tried to keep his heart calm.

"So, Jesse, you have a choice. You can stay fully alert, and I assure you, you will be fully alert, or you can give us the location of Mutant X."

Jesse didn't even hesitate before he gave his answer, "Go to hell."

There was a silence, and Jesse felt the strange hand trying to pry his mind open again. This time, though, he was ready for it, and quickly pushed it away. Though there was still a dull pain where the hand was, it wasn't like the sharp pain from before.

"Very well, Jesse," Witson said, with a hint of sorrow in his voice. "Go ahead, doctor."

Jesse felt a prick in his left arm as Laura hooked up an IV. "What my dear Laura is giving you know is a mixture of stimulants and sodium pentothal, truth serum. It'll take about five minutes for the drugs to start their way through your bloodstream, and we'll wait until then," Harrison said, as he removed the sensors on Jesse's body.

Jesse felt his mouth go dry, but still he remained stubborn. "Go to hell."

Laura began to attach straps to Jesse's arms and legs, and as she was tightening the straps on his arms, she leaned in close, and whispered, "You first," and smirked at Jesse's glare.

Jesse's glare quickly turned into a mask of pain as Harrison began to slice through his skin.

* * *

AN: Poor, poor Jesse, how crule can a gal get? Well, depends on how much coffee she had... 


	11. Chapter 11

Jess couldn't bite his lip anymore. There was already blood dripping into his mouth from the teeth marks. Harrison had formed the top half of the 'Y incision,' and had now begun the incision that went down his chest to the bottom of his stomach. So far Jess had been able to keep his mouth clenched tightly. He had managed to hold the scream that was building in him inside, but now Harrison had just reached his abdomen.

Jesse screamed, his back arching, and he pulled weakly agents his restraints. Harrison yelled, partly in surprise and partly in annoyance, "Get him restrained!"

"And then sedate him!" Jessica yelled.

"What?" Harrison said as he diverted his attention from Laura and Witson, who were none too carefully restraining Jesse, to Jessica.

"You heard me! His vitals are getting unstable! If you want him to live through your barbaric practices then you will give him a sedative or twenty minutes to rest!" Jessica said, shouting over Jesse's scream of pain as Witson pressed hard on the newly cut skin.

"There are no sedatives here, and injecting him with one would defy the point," He growled.

"Then take a break Doctor," Jessica hissed, with a more then a hint of bitter sarcasm in the word 'doctor.'

By then the incision will have begun to heal!" Harrison said, his voice matching Jessica's.

"Not if you spread the wound," Laura said, calmly.

Jessica and Harrison stopped glaring at each other and looked at her, Harrison with a look of gratitude and Jessica with a look of hate.

"Brilliant idea! That's exactly what we'll do!" Harrison then glared at Jessica, "Unless, that is, you have anything to add."

Jessica was trapped; she wanted to end Jesse's pain, but she couldn't argue with Harrison any longer. Jesse's vitals were getting dangerously close to shock. Witson, practically sitting on the new wounds, wasn't helping. "Do it, but then you have to wait thirty minutes before you touch him again," Jessica said, through clenched teeth.

Harrison snickered, and then turned back to Jesse. "Now if you will please get off him Mr. Witson, we have a solution to Mrs. Kilmont's so-called problem." Witson however, didn't seem to hear Harrison. He was pressing on Jesse's stomach to the point that Jesse was whimpering, a look of hatred and satisfaction dancing across his features.

"Mr. Witson, if you please." Witson didn't respond. "Mr. Witson?" If anything, Witson pressed harder on Jesse's wounds, because Jesse gasped and started breathing harder.

"Mr. Witson!" Harrison yelled, and still received no response. Jessica felt panic grip her, as she watched Jesse's heart rate increase dramatically. And she did the first thing that came to her; she lashed out with her mind.

"Get off of him!" she shouted as she pushed all the power she could at Witson. Witson was tossed back, into the wall. "Now then, get this over with and leave him alone."

Everyone was quiet for a minute. The only sound came from Jesse, who was gasping for breath. "Now," Jessica ordered again, which broke the silence in the room. Everyone was brought back to their senses.

Jessica watched as Harrison held Jesse still and Laura clamped the skin so it wouldn't close. Thankfully, Jesse passed out before to long, as she had to rip apart certain sections where the scallop did not cut through. Attaching the clamps could not have been pleasant for Jesse.

When it was over, Jessica made sure that Laura and Harrison had left before she exited. Witson was still lying where he fell, seemingly dead to the world, and Jessica didn't have the energy to drag him out.

* * *

As soon as Jessica left the lab, she went in search of a phone. Before, when she had promised Jesse she would contact Adam Kane, she had been lying. She was afraid of what would happen if Witson found out, or worse, Eckhart. But after seeing what they were doing, how much pain Jesse was in, she didn't think there was any option left. So she hid in the shadows of the building, outside where her cell could get a solid signal.

The view around the complex was beautiful, doing it's best to hide the vile within. It was wide-open fields all round that stretched on for miles, until it eventually ran into a forest. From the air the complex looked like a small crater with a white concrete bunker in the middle.

She had twenty minutes before she had to be back in the lab, but even less if she wanted to make sure Jesse was safe. She pulled out the number that Jesse had given her, and dialed. She heard a series of rings, and then a male voice….

* * *

Brennan felt like throttling something. Jesse was in the hands of a madman, which he couldn't help but think was his fault, and now all he could do was sit in the computer room and watch as the girls and Adam made their way to Genomex.

The red lights on the computer-generated map indicated that the team was still ten minutes out. The plan was simple: Shalimar would take out the outer perimeter guards, and Emma would take care of everyone else inside. They would make their way down to the 'Research Facilities,' get Jesse, hopefully, or so said Shal, doing as much damage as possible. Then Adam would pick them up in the Helix, and give the controls to Shal, while he and Em took care of Jess.

It wasn't that Brennan didn't think that they could handle it, after all, they had saved his ass more times then he could count. He just hated the fact that he wouldn't get a chance to break a few bones and give a few concussions. He wanted the GSA and Eckhart to pay just as much as Shal did, for hurting his best friend.

'My best friend,' he thought bitterly, 'Yeah, that's what Jess is, even if I treat him like shit.'

There was a beep on the computer, an annoying sound that Jesse some how never got around to deleting. Brennan sat up, and clicked on the new screen that had popped up. It was an incoming call alert that was one system of communication that Sanctuary had.

The two main sources of contact for New Mutants looking for a way into the underground, is word of mouth, and 'the magic number,' as Adam called it. The magic number worked basically like a cell phone call. It used a network of satellites to connect to the other line. Brennan didn't understand everything that Jesse had told him about the system, but he did understand that it was untraceable and could not be used against Mutant X. Or at least that's what Jesse told him.

Brennan typed a few commands and the caller came up.

"Hello?" Brennan said, instantly starting a trace on the call.

"Is this Adam Kane?" A female's voice said, nervously.

"No, but I work for him. How can I help?" Brennan said, with a knot in his stomach. 'Great, just what we need! Shal and Em are away trying to save Jess and now we have a new mutant who needs help!'

"This is really important, I need to speak to Kane," the woman said again, sounding a little desperate.

"Right now, Adam is preoccupied, there's a…there's a situation that has taken his full attention."

"I know. That's what I'm calling about. Jesse Kilmartin, he's…he's not going to last much longer…."

"Who is this? Who are you?" Brennan said, now sitting up and starting another, more precise trace of the call.

"They're torturing him, only Harrison calls it test, and that bitch Laura's trying to get into his pants, and Witson doesn't give a crap about any information, he just wants to hurt Jess," the woman said all in one breath. Brennan could barely understand it.

"Whoa whoa, slow down, I didn't catch any of that," Brennan said as he watched the trace program narrow down the search.

Brennan heard the woman take a deep breath and then start again. "When Harrison heard that Jesse had been captured, he asked Eckhart to give him permission to run tests. Only his so-called tests are going to kill him. That is if Agent Witson doesn't first. Look, I don't have time to explain everything to you, you just have to trust that I'm telling the truth and get over here."

"Ok, alright," Brennan said as he started to panic. The trace had just finished. It had narrowed the position to a two-mile radius from the factory where Jesse was taken. "Where exactly is here?"

"Genomex Testing Facility 29. I don't know the exact location…it's a white bunker in the middle of nowhere."

"That helps," Brennan mumbled under his breath.

"Look I know it's not a lot, but you have to hurry. Jesse doesn't have much time, especially not with what they're planning to do." With that, the caller hung up, leaving Brennan alone once again.

* * *

Ok, so you probably already know what's going to happen. Brennan's going to rush off and save Jesse...or is he? 


	12. Chapter 12

Brennan had a dilemma. He was the only one at Sanctuary, the only one who could possibly get to the facility in time to save Jesse. Normally he would throw caution to the wind and just go. He knew that he had his powers, strength and team to back him up.

However, today for some reason, he was being more careful. Maybe it was that he already had gone through this today. Something that seemed to be straightforward, but in reality was a hornets' nest of trouble. Or maybe it was the numbing pain in his arm. It didn't matter the reason, but Brennan felt like being suspicious. 'How do I know that this isn't a trap? How do I know that this, whoever she is, isn't trying to set us up?'

"_Jesse Kilmartin, he's…he's not going to last much longer…."_

'But she sounded scared, like she really meant it…. '

"Damn it!" Brennan shouted. He took a couple of deep breaths to try and regain control, and a plan started to form in his mind. 'Let Adam and the girls go to Genomex, and look around for Jesse there. That way if he's there, then they'll get him back. I'll go to the location I have and search around, and if I find nothing then I'll come back. If I find Jesse….'

Brennan got out of his computer chair and made his way to the garage.

* * *

Jesse slowly came to, and was welcomed by two unwelcome things. The first was the throbbing pain that started at his stomach and ended at his collarbone. It swept over him in waves and he felt them holding him down. He could feel a throbbing orientating from the places where the clamps held his skin apart.

The second was the man now leaning over him. For the first time Jesse was able to see the face of the agent who had been tormenting him. The man had tanned skin, a baldhead, with a sunken face. The skin was drawn so tight that every bone in his face could be seen. His eyes were practically nonexistent, as there was no color in them. He was ghostly.

Somehow the man looked familiar; he looked like someone Jesse knew. 'A ghost from my past…' Jesse thought with a bitter sense of humor.

"You could call me that Jesse, but you're the ghost," Witson said.

"Wh…what?" Jesse whispered, barely able to form the words through the pain.

"You don't remember Jesse? You don't remember me at all?" Witson asked, slightly amused.

"Should I?" Jesse asked again, his voice still painfully weak.

"Oh, I would hope so. After all you're the one who made me look like this," Witson said, now sitting down next to Jesse on a chair he had pulled up.

"I…?" Jesse gasped out.

"Oh, yes. You did this. What? You don't believe me?" Witson sneered evilly, "I'll show you," and with that he gripped Jesse's hand and Jesse's mind was filled with a blinding white light.

* * *

"We're here," Adam said as he landed the Helix just outside the perimeter of Genomex. Shalimar snapped out of her daze. She had spent the time focusing on Jesse and the best ways to get him to safety. Now that they were right there, so close, she threw out every plan that she had thought. The only thing in her mind was to get to Jesse.

"Now girls listen to me." Shal barely heard Adam over her heart pumping adrenalin.

"Shalimar, look at me and listen," Adam said loudly. Shalimar snapped to attention.

"I'm listening," she growled, her eyes flashing their feral gold. All she wanted was to get in there and get to Jesse; she could care less about Adam's plans.

"I was saying that the easiest way to get into the research section of Genomex is through the roof, or more specifically, the air vents. While Genomex has high amounts of security, they have one major flaw, as Jesse," Adam paused here, "found earlier."

"So we go up then down?" Shal asked.

"Precisely. Em I…" But Adam stopped as he took his first good look at the psionic. Emma looked pale, and she was rubbing her temples like she was getting a hit off of someone.

"Emma?" Adam asked, worried.

"Air vents, got it," she said weakly, still rubbing her head.

"If you don't feel like…?"

"I'm fine Adam, It's just Jesse. We must be really close, or he's in a tremendous amount of pain. It was just a really strong hit."

"You're sure?"

"Yes," Emma said, meeting Adam's eyes. For a brief moment he could have sworn he saw the same feral glow in her eyes that Shal was now radiating, but it passed, and he continued with the plan.

"The air vents will let you into Genomex, but they will only take you so far. According to the map, they become impassable four floors up from the research section. Then it will be up to you two to get to him, without being seen," he added for Shal's benefit. "Now, getting out will be harder. Obviously, you can't drag Jesse up the air vent if he's as badly hurt as Emma is saying. Nor do I want you to let him do anything that might harm him more."

"So how are we going to get him back?" Shal asked.

"That, I leave up to you. My suggestion would be to pose as transporters…."

"Transporters! There is no way I am shutting him in a pod! Adam you know what…" Shal shouted at Adam, her eyes blazing with anger at the mere suggestion of putting Jesse in a pod.

"Shalimar, listen to me. We have to get Jesse out of there unnoticed. The easiest way and probably the lest painful…."

"Physically," Shal mumbled.

"…Physically, will be to pose as transporters. However, if you see any other option, any other way, then do it."

Shal opened her mouth to argue, but Emma stopped her. "The more time we spend here, the more time they spend hurting Jesse."

Shal gave Adam one final glare, and she and Emma quickly left the Helix and headed for what they hoped was Jesse.

* * *

Brennan sped towards the location Sanctuary had given him, having no idea whether it was real, a trap, or even if Jesse was alive. All he had was the slightly relieved feeling that he could finally do something to help. However, there was the slightly nervous feeling that he got when he was realized that he was disobeying Adam. But he figured, if this was real, if the lady wasn't lying, that Adam wouldn't really mind.

"I should probably tell him…then again, why distract him from Genomex with a possible false lead. Better just check it out first…."

* * *

The blinding white gave way to a place Jesse had long forced out of his memory. It was another lab, just like the one that Jesse was being imprisoned in. Yet, this one had a special place in Jesse's nightmares.

It was all white and silver. Sterile, and yet it had that way of making you feel dirty. There was another operating table in the center of the room, with a teenage boy strapped to it. The boy was tan, a little chubby but not over weight, with short curly brown hair, and fear-filed brown eyes. Jesse recognized him right away.

"No, this wasn't my fault…I didn't…." Jesse said horrified.

"Ah, so you do remember, don't you?" Witson said from behind Jesse. Jesse tried to turn, yet found it impossible. It was as if some invisible strings kept him from moving. "Of course, I already knew this. I mean this is your memory, your mind. I'm only visiting here. But, why don't we see the sights?"

* * *

Ohhh! What is this? What has Jesse done? 


	13. Chapter 13

Jesse was frozen in place, horrified. "No…no, I tried…I tired to…"

"To what?" hissed Witson, "Huh, to stop? You tried to stop it! You didn't even consider to try!"

Jesse was about to speak again, but the door to the lab opened and a younger version of himself with an elder man walked in.

_The man was short and chubby, with rosy cheeks that came more from hitting the bottle then anything else. He was balding and had dirty teeth and wrinkled skin. While he didn't really look like a monster, to Jesse he was Satin._

"_Now Jesse, you know what I want you to do right?" He said in a false cheery voice that always made Jesse sick._

_The younger Jesse just nodded. He swallowed hard and went up to the boy on the table. The boy, for his part, wasn't panicking. He just stared at Jesse, a silently pleading in his eyes. Jesse couldn't look at the eyes anymore. "I'm sorry," he choked, "I don't have a choice…" The young Jesse shut his eyes and placed his hands on the boys face…_

"Please don't make me watch this. Not again…it wasn't my fault…you need to understand…." Jesse said begging.

"Shut up," Witson snapped, and shoved Jesse.

Jesse placed his hands on the boys face and then began to phase. With in a minuet Jesse had phased his hands through the boys face and began to phase throw the bon on his scalp. The man came up and inserted something into the boy's scalp, then addressed Jesse, "You did very well, come now." The younger Jesse pulled his hands out of the boy and looked at them with disgust. The boy on the tabled no longer looked like a human. He looked like something out of night of the living dead.

"No, I didn't have a choice!" Jesse yelled, tears in his eyes. "They didn't give me a choice!"

Jesse was pushed to his knees in the strange room. "There is always a choice! You could have said no, stopped it! Hell you could have phased through the floor! In stead you helped them to break my skull open, and insert that chip! Now, every time I use my course it is more pain then even your little freak pansoic can deal with. Because of you my life is hell!"

"They would have killed me! I didn't have a choice!" Jesse cried out.

"Yeah, well I don't have one now," Witson said as they returned to the torture chamber. "You know what they're going to do Jesse? Huh, you know why they cut you open?" Witson whispered. "They're going to attach little pads to your lungs, and these little pads are attached to an electric charge. And they are going to zap your lungs while you're in the middle of massing, that's quit painful right?" Witson said as he tapped the area around Jesse's incision. Jesse hissed from the sudden spark of pain.

"However, first," continued Witson, "They're going to have to get to your lungs. Well, how are they going to get to them with your rib cage there? Huh genius? How do you think they're going to get to your lungs?" Witson asked, and when Jesse didn't respond, he pressed on Jess' chest wound, causing Jess to yell. "Answer me! How are they going to get to your lungs!" he shouted as he pressed down harder.

"Break!" Jesse yelled; his eyes shut tight and tearing from the pain. "The only way is to break my ribs," he gasped out, and Witson stopped pressing on the wound, staring down at Jesse with a smug look.

"That's right Jesse. They are going to break your ribs, one by one. And I am going to watch, and enjoy every moment of pain. And when they're done, when there done, well, I won't need to worry about you tell me anything. You see you'll be in so much pain, and so weak that your mind will be easy to walk through. I'll I have to do is wait."

* * *

Brennan parked off the road just outside the two mile radius that Sanctuary's computer had tracked it to. He was surrounded by woods, and there was no cars coming, no people, nothing.

"Ah, nothing like a hike through the woods, to an enemy base where they're torturing your best friend and sure to out number you. Oh yeah, so glad I ignored Adam's rules. Jesse, I swear to God, you are not going to live this down."

(**AN/** I just feel like being sarcastic. Did it work?)

* * *

ok, so it's short, and full of type-os. oh well, meh. i'm just going to stop here for now, i'll write more in a few days, buti have this nice new story that's more fun at the moment. sniker, sniker. it's only got like two or three more chaps anyway, so i have to drag it out. 


	14. Chapter 14

Yes! I am alive! Hope this makes up for the wait.

* * *

Witson stormed down the hallway, causing any security that was in his way to duck into labs and offices with their tales between the legs. To say that he was pissed would be an understatement. He turned a corner then entered an office on his right where he sat flopped down behind the desk.

He had been tormenting Jesse, the monster of his every nightmare, at least one of them, he had just about been ready to break Jesse's ribs himself when that prick Jessica came back. She'd blasted him again, knocking him into the wall and ordered him and Harrison to come nowhere near Jesse for another ten minuets.

Witson growled, "Do you know how long I've been waiting for this bitch? He's going to go through hell! I'll kill him! I'll…kill…him…."

"_They would have killed me! I didn't have a choice!" Jesse cried out._

"There's always a choice!" Witson screamed as he slammed his fist into the concrete wall behind him, splintering it. 'What is there wasn't? That doctor hurt you, he got control of you, what about Kilmartin? What did he do to Kilmartin?'

Witson closed his eyes and forced himself to be calm. He opened his mind to the world, opened his eyes so he could see everything. From all directions windows into the world rushed at him. Flashes of families on a picnic speed by followed by pictures of fights or dogs or whatever the person was looking at. But this was all now, this was happening. Witson wanted what had happed. In a blink of an eye the windows switched directions. They started going away from him, thousands of them, taking him back years and years. Then he saw it. The window he wanted.

It was an easy matter, step inside, and he was there, and since he had a connection with Jesse, however forced it was, he could see everything that this memory would allow. Witson entered through one of the agents standing watch by a door.

There was a blond boy, no older then fifth teen. He was wearing scrubs, no shoes, a governor, and handcuffs. The man in front of him, the fat doctor with no hair, was talking to him.

Witson moved closer. He smirked when he saw the reason for the handcuffs; the doctor had gotten to close the obviously angry boy and received a shiner.

"_Now Jesse, may I call you Jesse?" there was no reply from the boy, only a glare. "My name is Dr. Simon, and I am a Nero surgeon and researcher. Do you know what that is?" Jesse blinked at him; he wasn't taking to kindly to being treated like a child. The doctor smiled, catching on to the boy's feelings. _

"_Yes, you're right. You are a very bright child, and I shouldn't talk down to you. Well Jesse, let me not beat around the bush any longer. From what I have heard is that you have an extraordinary ability, well actually two. You are fifth teen, am I right?"_

_Again, no answer from Jesse, but Simon didn't care. "And already you are able, weather it is controlled or not, to make your molecules basically spread thin or pack together. I must admit that you are the first molecular to be able to do that at such a young age."_

Jesse glared and tugged on the handcuffs, it was clear that he wanted to take another swing at the good doctor. "Now then, you probably want to know what I want with you. Well Jesse, I have a patient that I need to do some surgery on. I need to open his skull and place a devise in his brain."

_Simon paused and looked up at Jesse, whose angry glare had turned to one of horror as his brain caught on to what the doctor wanted. "And surgery will take to long you want me to…you want me to do it…"_

"_I knew you were a smart boy. That's exactly it."_

"_No. No I won't. I won't…you…."_

"_Can't make you?" Simon said with a smile, only this time it held no amusement just that smug look that people get when they know they have you beat. "Oh, but I can," he motioned for the two agents that were standing behind Jesse to hold him._

_Jesse struggled in the grasp, twisting and jerking, until one of them griped his throat and picked him up. Jesse stopped his struggling almost instantly, giving into his need for air. Simon chuckled as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a strange looking governor._

"_Even if I did do it," Jesse hissed out, "I couldn't make him gassy, I can only make myself…."_

"_That's what this is for," Simon said gesturing to the governor, "I'll be in control. Once you activate your powers it'll give me the ability to control what they do. And so you know, if you refuse to use your powers it works just like a regular governor, only once it starts to shock you, it wont stop. It'll take thirty minuets to an hour for you to die and the electrical current will be with you all the way…."_

Witson pulled himself out of the window. He'd been there to long, but now he knew the truth. He cursed himself for being so stupid, for blaming the wrong person. He should have…'what's this?'

Witson had passed a window, it caught his attention. There was the feral member of Mutant X, she was fighting off four agents the most drawn out and painful way her situation would allow. She was pissed.

'The others must be looking for Kilmartin,' Witson thought as he tried to enter the window. But he was blocked, something wouldn't let him in, not fully. 'Damn, it's the telempath, I'll never get in….'

Witson watched as the girls headed down a hall, a lot like the ones in the place he was. For a second he hoped that they were there, that they were on their way to save Jesse from this mess, however those hopes were soon crushed when he saw the writing on the wall. 'Genomex Testing Level."

'Damn it! You're at the wrong place! Damn it!' Witson started to yell and bang on the window. 'This will get me no where,' Witson pulled himself together and quickly took several deep breaths. He concentrated on getting to Emma, on talking to Emma. Then he felt it, the pull, like strings on a kite, guiding him, pulling him in. And he found himself face to face with an angry looking telempath….


	15. Chapter 15

Emma and Shal were working their way down. They had made it to the first floor of labs with out being noticed but now, just their luck, there were four agents on a coffee brake. Shalimar's eyes flashed golden, and she sent a glance back at Emma telling her to stay back, claming the pray as hers. Emma was all too willing to let her.

She watched as each agent was beaten soundlessly, into the world of unconscious. She doubted that any of them would remember what had happed in the past week let alone the past five minuets. When you hurt one of Shalimar's pack, you were hurt by Shalimar, it was feral law. Emma felt no pity for them.

"We got to go," Shal hissed out, and Emma nodded. Then she felt it, a kind of pounding in her head, like something wanted to get it, but she pushed it back. Thinking of it as some emotions that were trying to break through her walls. 'Probably a test on some poor mutant,' Emma thought bitterly as she raced after Shalimar.

They arrived at a wall, one with a door. The way leading down, and hopefully to Jesse. Shal was preparing, scouting, planning, resisting every eager to just smash the door open knowing that she had Emma with her. Not that Emma was powerless or weak, no, honestly when it came down to it, Shal would never want to get into a fight with her. It was just that she didn't want to be responsible for another hurt pack mate. She had already failed to save Jesse, and allowed Brennan to be hurt, it wasn't going to happen to Emma.

She was just about to give the order to move out, when she heard Emma gasp. She spun around, ready to take down anyone who had hurt her sister, but no one was there. Instead Emma was swaying, her eyes rolling back into her head. Shal growled, 'Of all the times to have a power spike, hang on Em,' Shal thought as she took hold of the girl and helped her down to the floor. 'This is coasting time….'

Emma was aware of Shalimar's presence, of her guarding her body, but she was focused on the invader. On the mind that she had only seen in shadows before.

"Get out," she growled, preparing to fling a wall between the two of them.

"No! Wait! I want to help! I need to help. I made a mistake, a big mistake and I need to fix it. Listen to me please."

Emma studied him, considering the man's words. Usually, no one could tell a lie in her mind, no one had the power to. Her mind, her world, her rules, but that was normally, because normally no one could get in like this when she didn't want them too.

"How do I know you're not lying, you broke into my mind, you could be controlling everything you do or say."

"Your mind, has it ever let someone who was going to hurt you or set you up in? Has it ever let anything bad happen to you?" The man pleaded.

Emma had to think, there were times when she had been hurt because of her powers, however it wasn't because it had just been let in. She had forced her mind to allow it, to become stronger. After all, all humans had built in shields. "Say what you came to say."

"You're in the wrong place. They knew you would look for him there, he's not there though. He's not at Genomex, Eckhart had him taken to an off base lab. It's about two miles north of the factory you where earlier. Hurry, he doesn't have much time."

With that the whole thing was over, the shadow man had pulled himself out of Emma's mind, and she was flung back to her body.

"Emma, earth to Emma, come on girl we gotta get a move on…that a girl…" Shalimar was saying, slapping Emma's face lightly.

"Shal, he's not here…Jesse's not here, we're in the wrong place," Emma said franticly as she came back to herself. "We have to get out of here…."

"Emma what are you talking about?" Shal snapped.

"I'll explain latter, but Shal we have to go!"

"How do you know he's not here? What if he is, we can't…."

"Think Shal! Have you felt him? Have you sensed him at all? If they're hurting him, that means blood right? That means sweat and screaming, right?"

Shal looked down at the floor, knowing Emma was right. She hadn't felt Jess at all. She couldn't pick out his voice, or his sent.

Emma continued on, know she was finally getting through to the feral. "If he was here you would have known the moment you stepped inside, you could find him in the bottom of the ocean, and so could I. I don't feel him. At first I kept saying it was because he was a sleep, or something, but Shal…."

"He's not here. We need to get back to the Helix."


	16. Chapter 16

Witson pulled out of Emma just in time, for moments latter two of the agents sent along for security were dragging in a semiconscious Brennan. One agent had a hold of is hurt arm and was using it to control him, while the other held onto his other arm and the remote for the governor in the back of the neck.

"What is this?" Witson asked as he stood, studding the group.

"We caught him trying to break in. He took out seven guys before we could subdue him. Thought you'd like to have a few words with him," smirked the agent holding his arm.

"Hmm….put him over there. Tell Harrison he can handle the prisoner as he sees fit. We have another subject. Remind Harrison though, that Mrs. Kilmont is still in charge of the prisoner's well being and if she tells him to stop, e has to," Witson said to the agents. 'It's the only way, if they catch on to what you've done it's all over. It's the only way…he can hold on just a little longer, soon his team will get him…God I have to fix my mistake….'

Witson watched as the agents took a now mostly aware Brennan over to a chair. Well they tried to, despite the pain in his arm from where he was being held, Brennan was fighting them every step of the way. However they finally they finally won and got Brennan handcuffed to the chair, where he sat glaring at everyone in the room.

"That'll be all," Witson said, and the two agents left. Witson waited until he heard their footsteps echoing down the hall before he turned his attention to Brennan.

"You Ass, you're going to let the creep kill Jesse. You have me, you don't need Jesse anymore, just leave him alone," Brennan hissed at Witson. His face was purple where an agent and struck him, and he was going to have one hell of a shiner.

"Because if I tell them to stop they'll know something is wrong," Witson said.

"Something is wrong, Jesse's going to die if he stays here," Brennan growled.

"I know that. Would you just listen to me!"

Brennan looked at him, glaring, and anger written all over his face, but said nothing.

"As I told your friend, Emma, I made a mistake. I thought that Jesse had done something to me, but it turns out it wasn't his fault. He wasn't responsible. I made a very big mistake, and now I need to fix it. You're going to have to trust me," Witson said.

"How did you talk to Emma," Brennan asked carefully.

"My powers, I can connect to people, see what they see, what they saw, and sometimes, if a mind is primitive enough, I can control them."

"So what, you talked to Emma, I still can't trust you, I mean it's easy for you to lie."

"You have a way to talk to your team, your rings right? Your rings are comm. links, right?" Brennan nodded, and Witson walked over to him and undid the cuffs. "Call them."

Brennan looked at him, still suspicious. "Emma, Emma, are you there?"

Moment's latter Emma's voice broke through the static his ring was giving out. "Brennan where the hell are you? Genomex isn't where Jesse was being kept and now we're back at Sanctuary and you're not here. What's going on?"

"Emma, I got a lead, someone called, and I'm a bout two miles…."

"North of the factory we where earlier?" Emma asked.

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"Someone told me, I talked to someone, Brennan are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. That's all I needed to know. When are you going to be here?"

"Give us thirty minuets, now that we can trace your com. we won't have to do a sweep."

"That'll work. Tell me when you get here, I'll find Jess. Brennan out," Brennan ended the connection and faced Witson. "Alright, so someone talked to Emma. Doesn't mean it was you. Got anymore proof?"

"I didn't stop you from telling where you were."

"That could be the set up to a trap," Brennan snapped.

"Look, I know that I'm the bad guy, but Kilmartin needs help, your team mate is being tortured by Harrison! There's no time to sit around here and discuses this. I'll take you to him, then you can blast me to high hell all you want, alright?"

Brennan looked at the man in front of him, studied him close. His head was telling him that this guy was the enemy, he couldn't be trusted, but every instinct he had told him to go for it. That Jesse was what mattered.

"Get this damn thing off my neck," Brennan said.


	17. Chapter 17

Jesse laid helplessly caught in his own thoughts. His body was rebelling against him. The pain was far worse any he had experienced before. He couldn't breath without pain spreading through him. It was a burning, shredding, pulsing sensation that never died. However, Jesse did nothing to stop it. 'I deserve it, everything that I get I deserve. He was right, I had a choice, there's always a choice…I deserve this…'

Jessica watched him, holding onto his hand. She knew he was in pain, and not just physical. Whatever Witson had done to him had hurt him far worse then anything Harrison could do to him. He was crying, for the first time since this whole thing had begun, he was crying. They were silent sobs, but they shook his whole body, and Jessica knew it was painful.

"Hush Jesse. It's alright, it's almost over. It's going to be alright…" she whispered into his ear.

"All say it'll be alright," came a seductive yet frightening voice from behind them. Jessica froze and she felt Jesse's hand tighten around hers. The click of heels on tile grew louder as she grew closer and closer, causing Jesse to shudder. He practically jumped off the table when he felt the soft warm skin touch his cold clammy skin.

"Witson has captured another freak my dear," Laura told Jesse, stroking his hair. "He's given Dr. Harrison free rain with you," she bent down closer to Jesse. "We get to start over, run a different test now. You don't have to worry about having your ribs broken or lungs fried, oh no, not now. We have something else in mind, which you're going to enjoy just as much," Laura smiled and leaned in still closer.

She disgusted Jessica, and she could feel Jesse's own fear as well. "What are you going to do to him?" she demanded from her.

"Oh, I think Jesse knows, I think he knows exactly what we're going to do," Laura said, now tracing a line around Jesse's scalp with her finger. "He knows exactly what we're going to do. But before we get to that, we need to take care of the nasty little cut," Now Laura looked up at Jessica and addressed her. "You said you were a trained med tech? By any chance do you know how to do stitches? Dr. Harrison is going to be a while and he told me to stitch our lovely freak closed, if you could help then it'll take less time."

"Fine, as long as we clean the wounds first," Jessica hissed.

The two women set to work, first removing the clamps holding the skin separated. Jessica then cleaned the still bleeding incisions, knowing that they were already infected. Laura started setting up the stitch kits as she called them, and waited for Jessica to get out of the way. Jesse for his part, shut his eyes and bit his lip, trying to keep calm. It took them a half hour to finish, but finally it was over and Jesse could relax slightly.

"How you doing Jess?" Jessica asked as she and Laura washed their hands.

"Can I have some water? Please?" Jesse asked, his throat tight.

Jessica glanced up at Laura, who had no intention of doing anything to help Jesse. "Yes, I'll go get you some, I'll be right back ok?"

Jesse nodded, closing his eyes and letting his head roll to one side. Jessica was afraid to leave him alone with Laura, but right now dehydration wouldn't be any help to the blond man. She'd have to risk it.

"Don't touch him," she hissed at Laura, knowing exactly what the woman would do as soon as Jessica was gone.

"Oh, aren't we a protective little girl? Why so little girl? Afraid that he'll die before you get your chance to get into his pants?" Laura said, leaning closer to her.

"Hah! I just don't want to be the one telling Eckhart that a member of Mutant X is dead before the integration is over," Jessica hissed.

"There's another one. A very cute one from what I hear. More a man then this freak here."

"This freak here is named Jesse, and he's a mutant, like you and me. And at least Jesse is still human," and with that Jessica turned and walked out.

There was silence for a few minuets as Laura pouted and Jesse's mind raced. 'They have Brennan? No! They can't have him, it's not possible. Brennan would never let himself get captured. He's not like me, he's not weak…Oh God, what are they going to do to him?'

Jesse heard Laura laugh behind him. "Oh but they do have him Jesse. Poor, poor Brennan, what are they going to do to him? Well, lets see," Laura said leaning into him, her fingers tracing the now stitched wound. "What would work on an electric element? Shocking him wouldn't do very much, and with his body our agents will be long tired before he'd break. Hmm…maybe we'll make him watch as we cut you open and play with your brain? Or maybe we'll decide to run a few more tests before then," Laura said now brushing her lips against Jesse's.

Jesse turned away from her, anger written all over his face. But she took a hold of his chine and forced him to look at her. Again she pressed her mouth over his, and forced her tongue in. Jesse froze in horror, the straps on his arm and legs keeping him from pushing her away, from saving himself. He felt her hands trace down his body, he felt her at his waistband, pushing it lower.

Jesse's breath started to become ragged. His mind was screaming for her to stop, fear and pain engulfing him. He could feel her hands now lower, on his hips, making their way closer to his thighs, closer to his groin. Her mouth still on his, her tongue still rapping his mouth. Her hands almost at their goal…then she stopped. She pulled away, removed her hands.

"Someone's coming my darling freak, we'll have to finish latter," she said smiling at him, her sick seductive smile, and Jesse turned his head away.


	18. Chapter 18

They Helix were now circling the complex where they had traced Brennan's comm. to. Shal was on edge, and so was Emma, they both knew that this was the right place. "Hurry up Adam, land this thing and let me out," demanded the feral.

"I'm doing the best I can Shal, it takes just a little bit of room to land this thing," Adam said, forcing himself not to snap at the feral. Adam was more then stressed, he was pissed. Not only was he worried about Jesse and the condition he was in, but he had to deal with a vengeful/ angry mama Shalimar and worried Emma, but Brennan had totally disregarded his orders and gone off on his own. This whole situation was quickly growing out of control.

"It grew out of control Adam the moment that they took Jesse. It grew out of all of our control the moment they started to torture him. Right now all we can pray is that Brennan can get to him, and Shalimar can clear the way. But you have to remember, that you're not responsible for what you can't control, not things like this," Emma whispered to Adam, trying her best to both calm and reassure him.

Adam glanced over at her, and gave her a quick smile of thanks. She returned it and gave a nod. "Alright Shal, get ready, we're landing."

* * *

Laura backed away from Jesse and turned her body to face the door. Jesse, who was looking away from her and the door, stiffened when he heard Witson's voice.

"Where's Harrison?"

"He needed to go and get some equipment, I'm hear to stitch him together," Laura purred.

"Did you? Is he in one piece?" Witson hissed, trying to keep his own disgust from eating away at him.

"Yes, he's all better. Why?" Laura asked, her voice telling Jesse that she was growing suspicious of Witson.

"There's someone here who wants to see him," Witson said, and Jesse heard the door open and Brennan being dragged in.

"You asswhole, watch my arm! What the fuck am I doing here?"

"No," Jesse gasped out, loud enough for only Laura to hear.

She laughed, "What did I tell you my darling Freak? I told you that they'd make him watch," she laughed again and moved to the side so Brennan could see Jesse.

Brennan felt his insides tighten, and his body go cold. Jesse looked bad was the understatement of the year. His skin was five shades to pale, made paler by the strikes of blood down his sides. From what Brennan could see there was a y wound down his chest. There were burses on his arms and legs where the restraints had cut in and on his face and body where he had been struck or man handled. Jesse was breathing hard and ragged, obviously in pain.

Brennan watched as the leggy lady walked over to Jesse and take a hold of his hair yanking his head so he was forced to look at her. She smiled down at him, a sick seductive smile. "Look over hear freak, not at the wall. Show your friend you pretty face," she hissed at him.

"Let him go," Brennan growled, hatred flooding him. He recognized the woman now, he knew who she was. She was the one who had helped to torture Jesse when he was younger. Now here she was doing it again. Brennan had never wanted to hurt a woman before, he had always tried not to, but right now, looking at her and how she was treating Jesse, he wanted her dead.

"Hear that freak? Hear that, you're so weak that you can't even speak up for yourself. Your friend has to do it for you. How far will he go to stop your pain? How far do you think he'd go? You think he'd switch places with you?" Laura hissed, completely happy. She was in control, and she knew it.

"Shut up," Jesse said, and Brennan could swear he saw them flash feral. Apparently Laura saw it to, because she backed away from him. Brennan had to smirk as he watched her glare at Jesse then turn and leave.

"Man, I want to kill her," Brennan sighed.

"She's sick," Witson agreed.

Jesse looked at them confused, a hundred questions running through his mind.

Witsonstudied Jesse, locking eyes with him. "You were right, you didn't have a choice. I messed up, I messed up big time. I'm sorry, I am so sorry."

Brennan watched the exchange between the two, and thankfuly, he could see Jesse visibly relax. "We both did," Jesse said, his voice weak, yet full of relife.

"Yeah well, you two can work it out latter, we got to get out of here," Brennan said walking over to Jesse and starting to free him. He had to use all his skill not to cringe, if he thought Jesse looked bad from his spot at the door, it was nothing compared to what he saw now. "Hang on Jess, give me a few seconds," Brennan said as he pulled on the straps.

"What's the plan?" Jesse asked, and Brennan could hear him weakening.

"Well, Adam says that Emma and Shal are on their way in. Shal's probably on the hunt, apparently she's not even bothering to hid and is just attacking."

"Sounds just like her," Jesse said through clenched teeth. Brennan took a quick look up at Jesse's face. His eyes were shut tight, his face taunt. "Jess, am I hurting you?"

"Kind of," came the weak reply, and Brennan now looked down at where the bonds were. His wrist and ankles were rubbed raw and were starting to bleed.

"It's ok man, that's the last one," Brennan said reassuringly, he glanced up at Witson, who was guarding the door, "How we doing? All clear?"

"Yes, no wait, someone's coming duck down," Witson said, stepping back into the room and walking over to Jesse.

A few seconds latter and the door opened and Jessica wheeled herself through. She stopped when she saw Witson standing over Jesse.

"What are you doing here? What have you done to him?" she asked, anger flashing through her eyes.

"It's alright Jessica. He's helping," Jesse whispered.

"Jesse?" Jessica called wheeling over to him, still keeping her eyes on Witson. "Jesse, how are you feeling?"

Jesse gave her smile, "Still here. Look I'm all free," he said, trying to lighten the tension he saw in her face, and Jessica gave him a smile. "Brennan, you can get up now. She's on our side."

Brennan stood up from under the table and came face to face with Jessica. "Hi," Brennan said as Jessica's mouth dropped in surprise.

"Jessica, this is Brennan Mulwray, Brennan this is Jessica…Sorry I didn't catch your last name…." Brennan glanced at Jessica who had begun to check Jesse over.

"He's getting weaker, I think his adrenaline is running out. Jesse, I have some water, can you drink it?" Jesse nodded weakly and she held the glass for him while he drank it. He drank slowly, and Brennan had to support him, but he didn't spit anything back up.

"We don't have any more time left," Witson said. "We've been here to long already."

"Yeah, I know. But Shal and Emma are on the way, so we're going to be fine. Come on Jess, we got to get a move on it, can you walk?" Brennan said, trying to keep everything calm and under control, but he wasn't so sure himself. The girls were good, but he also knew that Shal wasn't thinking beyond get Jesse.

Jesse understood what Brennan was getting to. He pushed himself up into a sitting position, or at least tried to, but he started to cough and gag as soon as he did. Brennan instantly pushed the younger man down. "Alright, walking is out. I could carry you…."

"No, you'll likely tare the stitches. There has to be another way…" Jessica said.

"There might be, but it all depends on how much you're willing to do Jesse," Witson said, looking at Jesse.


	19. Chapter 19

Shalimar and Emma worked their way closer and closer to the bunker. So far Shal could make out ten agents on patrol around the perimeter. Emma told her that another twenty agents were inside and there were about four people that they could trust.

Piece of cake.

Shal smiled, the first two agents were coming up. She was going to enjoy this.

The two agents went down way to easily for Shalimar's liking. She barely got to brake their jaws. But that didn't matter now; she still had eight agents to go before she could reach Jesse.

"Matt, Kevin, do you copy? Matt, Kevin?"

Shalimar smiled from the place she crept, two more agents were coming their way. However, Emma got to them first. Such a gentle way to put tem down, but it would have to do. Six agents to go, and by now, their presence will be suspected. They had to act fast.

The two girls split apart, Emma heading left, Shalimar heading right. They'd met on the other side where they could get in.

It took Shal less then five minuets to make it around, taking out five agents in the process. Emma came up a minuet after her with that 'I kicked ass' smile on her face. "Ready?" Shal asked, and Emma nodded. "Let's go get the boys."

* * *

"What do you mean? Jesse can't walk, I'm sure as hell not letting him do anything else…." Brennan started.

"I'm not asking him to phase. Besides, with that thing in his neck he can't and it has to be surgically removed," Witson said.

Brennan looked down at the metallic band around Jesse's neck. It looked painfully tight, and he wondered how Jesse could breath. "So if you weren't talking about phasing, what where you talking about?" Brennan asked, doing another scan of Jesse's injuries, looking for anything else that was missed.

"Jesse, how long where you kept in a pod?" Witson asked, doing his own scene of Jesse.

Jesse flinched as the mention of a pod brought forth unwanted memories. "I was in one for a while…three months."

"Where you kept a wake?"

"Yeah," Jesse said, narrowing his eyes at Witson. "Is that the only way?" Jesse asked.

"Huh? Is what the only way?" Jessica asked looking at Jesse then Witson.

"I'm sorry, I can't think of anything else. It'll be more believable. There isn't any other way…."

"What are you two talking about? What isn't any other way?" Brennan asked, just as confused as Jessica.

"When we transport prisoners, captured new mutants, we use pods. It keeps them in control," Witson started.

"And Witson's idea is to put me in a pod to get me out," Jesse said, and Brennan could hear the fear in his voice.

"Oh no, no way. There's no way in hell we're putting you in one of those things…no way…we can't…just can't…" Brennan started, shaking his head.

"Brennan, there's no choice. The longer we stay here the worse it'll be. There's no choice I have to…" Jesse said, by now he was barely awake.

"Jess, you can't! You hate small places! God I can't even get you to…" Brennan started off again.

"Jesse, are you sure? I was in a pod for two weeks and I still have panic attacks in elevators," Jessica interrupted.

"There's no choice, no more time. I have to. Do it," Jesse said, looking at Witson. Brennan bit his lip, he hated this idea, but he knew that Jesse wouldn't change his mind.

Witson nodded, and exited the room and came back a minuet latter guiding in a pod. Jesse's hart jumped into over drive when he saw it. Brennan bent down low and whispered into his ear, "You sure about this man?"

Jesse nodded, afraid he'd lose it if he opened his mouth. Brennan nodded and returned to his full height. "Jess, I'm going to have to lift you up, it's going to hurt," Brennan said, preparing to move Jess.

"No! Wait! Let me," Jessica said, stopping Brennan from touching Jesse. Brennan looked at her skeptically, but stepped back. "Jesse, I need you to relax. You can just shut your eyes, and think that you're a feather or something really light. Ok?"

Jesse nodded, and shut his eyes. Jessica sighed and took a deep breath, closing her eyes and concentrating. "Witson, I need you to open the lid, tell me when you're ready."

"I'm all set," Witson said.

Jessica nodded and in no time Jesse's body was being lifted up off the bed. In a matter of twenty seconds Jessica was gently lowering Jesse's body into the pod. "There, any pain Jess?" a groggy Jessica asked.

"None that's new. Thanks. Hey Bren?"

"Yeah Jesse?"

"We need to put them in the under ground. Talk to Adam will you?" Jesse said, as his body finally started to give into unconsciousness.

Silently Brennan was grateful that Jesse seemed ready to pass out, it meant that he wouldn't have to relive past nightmares. He was even more grateful that Jesse was still thinking of other people. 'Maybe he's not as bad off as I thought,' Brennan thought. "Don't worry Jess. I'll take care of it. You shut your eyes, go to sleep, when you wake up you'll be at home."

Jesse nodded, but he didn't shut his eyes. His hart was pounding to hard, and his breath was to fast. He couldn't do this; this was too much. This was all a lie; he wasn't being saved. Jessica had lied to him and Brennan wasn't really there and they were taking him back to Genomex for more testing. It was all a lie….

"Intruder! Intruder! Intruder!" screamed the sirens through out the compound. "Lock down, this is not a drill, lock down!"

"Here that Jess? Shal and Em are here, everything's going to be fine," Brennan said. "We'll be in the Helix in no time, just hang in there."

"We have to move. Everything's shutting down, soon there will be no way out," Witson said, he gave Jesse a quick glace, trying to reassure him, then closed the pod. Brennan winched when he saw Jesse's face contort with fear, but he didn't have long to stare. Witson was already starting to push the pod out the lab with Jessica a head of him.

"Hang on, let me get in front," Brennan called, and Jessica nodded, his team, his call as far as she was concerned. Brennan quickly got in front, making sure that the coast was clear. So far so good and he signaled for the others to follow.

That's how it went for the first few minuets, Brennan clearing the way, the others following meeting no one along the way. They had made it to the entrance, or in their case the exist, when their luck was shot.

Brennan could hear fighting up a head, to the right of their current position. He had told the others to wait, keep hidden behind the curve in the hall where they wouldn't be seen. Witson had agreed reluctantly, Brennan could see him now at the very edge, watching and waiting to jump in if needed. 'That guy's on a serious gilt trip,' Brennan sighed, and turned his attention to the fight in front of him.

Shalimar and Emma were tarring it up. There were about five guys out of twenty down already and three that were ready to fall. Shal held two off, flipping, kicking, punching and biting. 'God she's really pissed, she's going completely feral.'

Emma was busy fighting her own way, Brennan could catch 'whiffs' of the different thoughts she was sending to the agents and it scared him. But he couldn't think of more deserving men, so he just smiled and watched as four more guys fell between the two.

Brennan was enjoying the scene before him. It was always good to see the girls working to gather in such constructive and creative ways. But there was something wrong, something not right. One of the agents wasn't fighting; he was hanging back. A small kind of fellow, one that looked familiar to Brennan, but he couldn't quit place….

Then it happened, the man that was holding back didn't hold back anymore. He started to change into this massive bulk of muscle. 'Damn it! It's the Hulk guy! He's goingafterShal!'


	20. Chapter 20

Brennan acted quickly, he jumped out from his spot behind the wall and let lose a hastened tassel, "Shal! Look out!"

Shal was in a zone, her mind and body completely focused on the three agents she was fighting, one a feral. But a voice, distant, but recognizable broke through. She didn't think, didn't question, she just dropped with cat like grace to the floor just as a purplish light flashed above her head. She heard an inhuman grunt then a scream of rage above her to her left.

"Shal get out of there! Move!" it was that voice again, that recognizable voice, one she knew she could trust. Again she didn't question just obeyed. She moved from the floor and away from the screaming creature. A look around her told her that other agents and Emma were doing the same.

The thing in front of her was human, but barely. Its features were distorted, it's body bulked like it had taken a bath in steroids. 'Hulk man…he took Jesse…he took my brother…' Shal thought, preparing herself to lunge at the thing that was seemingly on a mindless rampage, stomping and throwing its massive arms around.

After a few seconds the creature got control of itself and its first thought was seemingly revenge. In his sights was the equally pissed off Shalimar. She wasn't scared though, she was ready for him, and she wanted him to come. 'You took Jesse from me, you're going to pay….'

But someone got to him first. Someone who was broad, dark, and shooting sparks…

"Brennan!"

"I got him Shal! Go get Jess, he's down the hall!"

Shal growled, glancing from the now fighting Brennan, over to Emma who had been very busy while Shal was talking. Three other agents were running from their own shadows. "Emma, hallway!" The redhead nodded and sent another agent flying from a well place soccer punch.

The two girls headed for the hallway but were intercepted by the remaining seven agents. "Oh, come on! For God's shake do we really have to go through all this again? I mean, if we took twelve of you down, what chance do you think seven of you have?" Emma grumbled, sending them all images of twisted and bloody bodies. That was all it took to send the remaining seven running.

"Damn it Em, I was hoping to take at least two more down," Shal complained as she watched the agents scramble.

"Jess awaits Shal," Emma said grabbing the feral's hand and pulling to the hall, rolling her eyes.

* * *

Brennan could hear the girls bickering behind him, but he didn't have time to concentrate on that now. Right now all his concentration was being focused on Mr. Hulk in front of him. So far Brennan had pumped two times the volts it took to kill a man into him and nothing seemed to happen. In fact, he now had one very pissed off Hulk that had just found a battering ram.

One of the blasts Brennan had thrown had gone astray and knocked a pip off the ceiling. A good-sized pip which the Hulk seemed to know exactly what to do with.

"Ok body, so you're pissed and you're armed, but I can take you, I can…."

Brennan's self-peep talk was cut short when Mr. Hulk bashed the pip into his midsection and sent him flying. Brennan landed with an audible thud on his bad arm, and before he could recover was struck again, this time in his side. Brennan rolled, avoiding another strike and sent a ball of electricity at Mr. Hulk, who was struck in the face and started into another fit.

Brennan got to his feet, pain shooting through his side and arm. He sent another blast at Mr. Hulk and ran towards a pip cluster. He stopped right under the cluster and sent more sparks at Mr. Hulk, drawing him closer to the element.

"That's right big boy, come here, come closer…uncle Sparky only wants to play…come on…perfect!" Hulk swiped at Brennan, but it was a clumsy swipe and he was thrown off balance. With the speed of a gray hound, and the grace of someone with two left feet, Brennan dogged, sending a series of high charged bolts at the pips.

The cluster fell, hitting Mr. Hulk in the head and shutting cold air everywhere. Brennan breathed a sigh of relief. "Wait to go Sparky, only cost you two broken ribs…"

"Ugh…" grinned the massive figure under the pips as it stood to it's full, Hulk height.

"Damn it…."


	21. Chapter 21

Sorry about the wait, i was kind of trying to figure out what i wanted to do. i didn't think that i had hurt Jesse enough, or Brennan for that matter, so well i had to think up away to hurt them some more. Anyway, i hope you like it.

* * *

Emma and Shal raced down the hall, nearly crashing into Witson and Jessica. The two wasted no time in surveying and taking control of the situation.

"Where's Jesse?" Shal asked as she slowed to a halt next to the two former Genomex employees. She didn't need them to answer, the answer was right in front of her, and it made her sick. "Oh my god, tell me he's not in there…" Shal hissed as she walked over to get a look inside the pod. Her stomach knotted, her body froze, and she felt tears starting to fall when she got her first look at Jesse.

He was still, eyes closed, his breath falling in painful, shallow patterns. There were bruises covering most of his torso and face, cuts and blood stained skin that was ten shades paler then it should be. "Oh god, what they do to you?" she whispered, putting her hand on top of the glass case separating Jesse from the rest of the world. To her surprise Jesse opened his eyes, at first he seemed a little disorientated, but when he saw Shalimar he gave her a smile and placed a trembling hand under her's. Shalimar gave him the best smile she could, fighting every instinct to tare open the cursed pod and pull her little brother into her arms.

"Why is he in here?" she hissed, fighting for control.

"It was the only way. We were a fried that we'd hurt him farther if Brennan carried him," Jessica said, in a soothing voice. She had worked with many feral and knew how protective their instincts were for one of their own. She knew the best thing was to try and calm her down. Emma knew this too.

"He's alright Shal. He's not scared; he understands that this is for the best. It was partly his idea. It's alright Shal," Emma said, putting her hand on Shalimar's shoulder.

Shalimar seem not to notice, she was to focused on Jesse. Ever since they first met there seemed to be a connection between them. Even that first night, when she first pulled him from a pod, she could read his eyes. Right now they were telling her that he was ok, he could be better, but he would deal with it. 'Same old Jesse. Do what's best and easiest for everyone but himself.'

"Alright, we need to move. Genomex is probably already aware of our little raid, and Adam is waiting. We can't go out the way we came, and we have to get Jesse out of here fast. Any ideas?" Shal asked looking at Jessica and Witson.

"If we go back to the next hallway there's another way out, a fire exit. It leads out to the back filed," Witson said.

"Good, that'll work. We'll be out of here in no time…" Shalimar started telling Jess, but she was interrupted by an unwelcome complication.

* * *

Brennan had no idea what he was going to do. Every thing he through at Mr. Hulk seemed only to piss him off, which didn't help. So far he had been thrown into four walls, slammed into the floor, and hit with a lead pipe in the gut more times then he'd care to remember. He was starting to lose focused, pain clouding his mind, and he could taste blood in his mouth. None of this did anything to help his confidence.

'Ok Bren, Jesse's in worse shape then you. He's dying lying back there, and even with the girls they're still going to need you to beat this guy. You can't lose, but how the hell do you take something four times your size down!' The answer, a higher voltage.

Brennan, dodging the swinging arm of Mr. Hulk for the umpteenth time, rolled to his right, and jumped to his feet. Brennan had been throwing his all at the Hulk, but it wasn't good enough. He didn't have enough juice in him to drop the guy. However, there was a nicely placed voltage box about ten feet from him. The only downside was that big and nasty was in-between point a and point b.

'Alright man, you know what you need, that little buster shot on the wall over there. But big and ugly's in you way. Got to get past him to drop him. Anit it always how it works?' Brennan's pain slowed mind was working overtime. However, it wasn't failing him, a plan was forming and it would work, provided his aim didn't fail him.

* * *

"Good, that'll work. We'll be out of here in no time…" Shalimar said.

"I don't think so Miss. Fox. I do believe that this is my facility and Mr. Kilmartin here is not ready to leave," came the worse sounding voice that any mutant could hear, Mansion Eckhart's.

The four spun around and found Dr. Harrison, Laura Brooks, Mansion Eckhart, and about twelve other GSA agents all blocking their exit path.

"Now if you should all be so kind, please surrender and come with us," Eckhart said.

Shalimar's eyes flashed gold, and Emma and Witson prepared themselves for a psyonic power play.

"And if we decided to fight?" Shalimar jeered, knowing she could easily, and with great joy, take them all down.

Laura though gave her a smirk and pulled a remote control from he pocket. It took only a second for her to turn a switch and send Jesse into a whole new world of pain. It took only one scream from him for Shal to lose all fighting instinct and the others to follow suite. Eckhart new these, and couldn't help but gloat.

"It is a marvelous device Harrison, it just might replace Governors. Why don't you tell me how it works again?" he said, now circling the pod as he watched Jesse weather in agony.

"The band around his neck is in direct connection with his brain stem. With a flip of a switch I can send a charge through out his whole nerve system, as well as take control of his mutation," Harrison boosted.

Shalimar let out a growl from deep inside her throat, and Emma made no attempt to hide her feelings. Both women were horrified and pissed, they would like nothing more then to kill everyone blocking their path, but Jesse had stopped screaming, and was now starting to convulse.

"Stop hurting him, we give up Eckhart," Shalimar growled. Eckhart smirked in triumph and told Laura to stop.

"Now then," Eckhart said, gloating, "shale we retrieve the element?"

* * *

Brennan took a deep breath, formed a charge and sent it flying right at Mr. Hulk's eyes. His aim was dead on, and the flash momentarily blinded Mr. Hulk, he stomped around, waving his arms and screaming in pain. It was exactly what Brennan was hopping for.

He moved quickly, dodging the angry mutant, and heading straight for the power box. He made it, just as Mr. Hulk started to calm down and tore off the covering. Grapping hold of whatever wires he could, Brennan let lose with an endless stream of lightning.

Mr. Hulk didn't stand a chance. He was picked off the floor and thrown against the far wall. His body shock and slowly started to return to normal. Brennan cut the flow of electricity and the man slumped to the floor.

Brennan, too, fell to the floor, panting heavily and clutching his ribs. "Never…want…to…do…that…again…."

"Very well done Mr. Mulwray, Vincent Cambol is one of my best agents. It's a wonder you took him down so quickly and are still in one piece."

Brennan felt a sickening chill run down his spine as he heard Mansion Eckhart behind him. Brennan pulled himself up and spun around to face him, twenty agents and Shal, Em, Witson, and Jessica.

"Don't try Mr. Mulwray, as you see your friends have been captured and Mr. Kilmartin has been returned to the capable hands of Dr. Harrison and Ms. Brooks. Please, don't make things difficult," Eckhart said.

Brennan looked Shalimar in the eyes and hated what he saw. There was a mixture of furry, fear, and hopelessness. Eckhart wasn't lying. Things were not looking well for Mutant X.


	22. Chapter 22

Brennan took a deep breath and steeled his body. Despite the fatigue and pain pulsing through his body he was not about to give up.

"Where's Jesse?" he asked icily, eyes meeting Eckhart's.

"Dr. Harrison had to take him, said he need medical attention…." Eckhart hissed, a devilish smile creeping across his lips, and for an instant Brennan flinched.

"I could take you all out in five seconds flat, I'm charged to the max," Brennan said, gesturing to the still form of the former Hulk lying a few feet away.

"Yes, but your friends would also be dead. They each have a governor Mr. Mulwray, and you don't know which one of us has the controller," Eckhart stated matter-of-factly.

Brennan glanced at Shal and Em, both girls were fuming, he could almost see the steam rising. Shal's eyes were daring him, pushing him, saying they'd be fine, get Jesse, kill them all. Emma's, though a little less sure, were also saying get Jesse, kick their asses. But Brennan, loner as he was, had become to attached to Mutant X to even consider a plan that might get anyone of them killed.

Besides, there was always a chance he overestimated his power, his strength that he couldn't take everyone out. If that they killed Shalimar, Emma, and him, who would get to Jesse? What would happen to Jess? No, couldn't think of that, better to buy time and wait it out. Adam was still out there, they were all still a live…now if only it didn't feel like giving up.

"I'm sorry guys…" Brennan said to the girls, his thumb tracing the silver band on his right ring finger.

Eckhart gave a smirk of victory as he motioned four agents to take Brennan, "Wise choice Mr. Mulwray, very wise indeed."

"No Brennan, damn it no…" Shal hissed, her body slumping. Emma too felt her last rays of hope fleeing as she watched the agents place a governor in Brennan's neck.

"Well this is a wonderful day, not only did I catch one member of Mutant X, but now I have four. And I will be willing to bet that before the week is out I will have all five members, and the mutant underground," Eckhart gloated.

"Keep dreaming," Brennan hissed as a guard grabbed his wounded shoulder. He had forgotten about the gunshot wound while fighting Mr. Hulk, but now that his adrenalin was depleting, pain was the understatement of the year.

Eckhart's gloating faltered, and he glared at Brennan, "I think that Mr. Mulwray has I lot to say, why don't you take him to our interview room. Take the others to holding cells, I'll figure out what to do with them latter."

* * *

Jesse wasn't holding it together very well. It wasn't that he was about to break or anything like that, though no one could blame him if he did. He wasn't about to lose his sanity, or tell Harrison where Sanctuary was or anything like that, he was just tired of fighting. He was just tired of staying awake.

He'd watched helplessly as Eckhart and his against had taken Shalimar and Emma hostage, and cursed himself for being the reason that they were taken so easily. Self-hatred right now was the only thing he had to go on to keep himself going. The longer he thought he need to be punished, the longer he'd stay alive…even though he was pretty sure he wanted to die.

"Almost there my Freak. Almost time to start playing again…" Laura hummed as she wheeled the pod back towards the lab Jess had just come from.

Jesse shut his eyes, trying to shut the world out. The next thing he knew he was tied down to the operating table, and was listening to Harrison and Laura fighting.

"I never told you to sew him back up, I had every intention of going through with the test," Harrison snapped.

"But I heard you, you paged me and said that you wanted him sewed up!" Laura exclaimed.

"I never paged you," Harrison said thoughtfully, "It must have been Witson, he must have gotten into your head," Harrison sighed and looked over at Jesse. "Guess we'll just have to open him up again."

* * *

So yeah, i'm sorry, really really sorry, about the wait. I just got lazy. And i'm really, really sorry about how short it is, but the next chap will so be worth it.

By the way, brennan-freak, it wasn't cookies, it was brownies.


	23. Chapter 23

(_"I'm sorry guys…" Brennan said to the girls, his thumb tracing the silver band on his right ring finger._)

Adam was in the Helix; he had been for about a half hour. There was still no word from his team, no news of Jesse or the GSA, or Harrison. Normally no news was good news, however this wasn't normal, and this defiantly meant bad news.

"Come on guys, give me something…." Adam whispered into the eerie silence that had befallen the Helix.

Minuets passed, and the silence grew more and more ominous before, once again, it was broken. Only this time by an electronic beep and flashing light from the emergency single from the coms.

* * *

Jesse couldn't even scream, he was too weak, but it was plan that reopening the wound was painful. Each cut felt like there were burning needles being stuck in. Worse, Laura seemed to be taking grate glee in cutting the stitches open, one at a time. By the time she was finished Jesse had passed out, and was unresponsive.

"Well that won't due, that just won't due. You have to be awake for the test," Laura pouted.

"It's alright, Laura. Mr. Kilmartin's body has been through a lot to day. It probably would be best if he were allowed to regain some strength," Harrison stated.

"Hmm…how long do you think it will take?" Laura asked impatiently.

"I'll give him an hour, not to long now is it dear?"

Laura gave Harrison a wicked smile, "Not long at all."

* * *

For the a hundredth time Brennan pulled against the restraints that held him to a chair in the middle of a windowless, concrete room. He had been left there, alone, for the last twenty minuets and he was starting to get aggravated. Not from being helpless and his impending torture, but from boredom.

Finally, just about the time Brennan was starting to lose it, Eckhart decide to grace him with his presence.

"Hello Mr. Mulwray, how are you feeling?"

"Just peachy," Brennan hissed, "Where are the others?"

"Your friends are in holding cells, except for Mr. Kilmartin, he is being tended to."

The way Eckhart said that made Brennan's big brother instincts kick in. "Haven't you done enough to him in his life?" Brennan snapped.

"Oh, don't worry about Mr. Kilmartin, Harrison has conducted many test on him before. They are well aquatinted. Besides, we are not here to discus your team members. Where is Adam Kane?"

"Go to hell."

No sooner had the words left his mouth, than Brennan felt a serge of electricity stream through his body. Normally, all he would have to do is release the excess electricity and it would cause nothing more then a tingle in his body. However, this time, there was no releasing the electricity.

Brennan bucked in the chair but didn't cry out. "That the best you can do?" Brennan he snarled. "You think a little shock's going to get me to talk?"

"Of course not. You are an element whose gift is that of electricity. Oh no, the shock is an automatic response. Oh no Mr. Mulwray, I have something better planned for you," with that Eckhart opened the door and allowed to of the GSA in.

* * *

Shalimar paced in her cage. She, and Jessica had been locked into one cell group, while Emma and Witson were locked in one across from them. The cells were more like central holding then the GSA's normal prisons, but they had the same affect on her.

"Shal, calm down, you'll do no good wearing yourself out," Emma said.

"They're hurting him…Emma they're hurting him…." She hissed.

"Who? Jesse? Brennan?"

"Yes! Both of them! Jesse's in more pain, but they're hurting Brennan too!" Shal yelled, and collapsed against the wall, doing her best to keep from crying. Jessica dragged herself over to Shal and wrapped the feral in her arms.

"It's going to be ok, we'll think of a way out…" she said as soothingly as she could. Shalimar allowed herself to be comforted by the new woman, everything in her told her that she could trust Jessica, and Shalimar had always listened to everything in her.

After a few moments Shal calmed down enough to talk again. "Emma, can you sense anything? I mean, can't you still feel things?" Shal asked like a little child.

Emma was caught a little of guard by the question, and it took her sometime to answer it. "Well, I guess that I can…I mean not like when I have full control over my powers, but I can feel you, and Witson, and Jessica…but that's it…."

"That's what it's like for me as well, whoever I'm near…." Witson agreed.

"For me, I can sense everything just the same, but I can't do anything about it," Shal said grimly.

"My power's only allow me to move things, and I think that they're more natural then mutant, I mean I've had them since I was a baby…." Jessica added.

"What do you mean?" Emma asked, putting all her focus on Jessica.

"Well, when I was in the womb I had a whole in my back. They tried to close it in the womb, but when I was born I was paralyzed from the waist down. But the thing is, I've always been able to move things with my mind, since I was a baby. So I think my powers are more natural then mutant," Jessica answered.

There was silence for a few moments as Emma thought about what Jessica had said, then her eyes took on the familiar glow of a girl with a plan, and she asked, "Have you ever tired using your powers with a governor in?"

* * *

Brennan's lip had to have been bleeding by now. He had to have punctured at least half way through it, but the pain there did nothing to help ease the fire in his arm. The two men Eckhart had invited were obviously pros, or just really liked what they were doing, 'cause he felt like shit.

The two had a plan, a strategy, one worked on his body, the other on his mind. There was no place for Brennan to escape too, nothing he could do to get away from the pain. The one working on his body had found the wound on his arm, and seemed to greatly enjoy in extending and reopening it. While the one in his head had found just about every nightmare he'd ever had and combined it in one.

Their timing was perfect as well, every physical injury was met with different variations of the 'dream' that the mind man had created.

The first time Brennan had been suffocated, and in his mind he'd be held under water. Then they added shock, and in his mind he had lost control of his powers while in the water and electrocuted not only himself but Shalimar as well. Now, as they found new ways to hurt his body, different people in his life were trapped in the water with him, and dieing by his hands.

He wanted to scream, but didn't dare remove his teeth from his lips.

"Now, now, Mr. Mulwray, don't hold it in. Talk, rant, yell do something, I must say it is very boring to just watch you," Eckhart sneered.

Brennan did his best to glare at the man, but at the time they had just shoved another knife into the wound in his arm and he looked more like a surprised cat then anything else.

"Hmm…alright, alright, that's enough for right now. Shall we see if he's ready to talk yet?" Eckhart said, and the two agents backed away from Brennan, a little disappointed.

It took Brennan only seconds to breath through the pain in his body so he could speak. "I won't tell you a damn thing Eckhart. Not a damn thing," he hissed.

"Really? Not even to save your friend's life?"

"Who?" Brennan asked, trying to keep the fear out of his voice.

"Well, I could be talking about anyone of them really, but I do believe the one you're most worried about is Mr. Kilmartin right now. Am I correct?"

Brennan didn't say anything. He just stared at Eckhart blankly, body and eyes betraying nothing, just like Emma had taught him.

"Well, I see," Eckhart, said a little annoyed at the lack of response. "I'll just have to give you an example…"

* * *

Jesse blinked as he felt air washing over his newly opened wounds. 'How long have I been out? What's happened?' he thought as he looked around.

He was strapped down to the gurney again, and being taken down a hallway. The florescent lights on the slate white concrete did nothing to ease the pounding in his head. He could make out Harrison's shadow somewhere to his left, and he could smell Laura's cheep perfume, making him gag. Yet he still had no idea where he was going, and what was going to happen to him, which, probably, more then anything, made him afraid.

Down the hall the gurney came to a sharp stop in front of a lab door. The sudden shift in speed irritated the reopened wounds. Jesse couldn't hold back the hiss of pain, brining a giggle from Laura.

Jesse bit his lower lip determined to keep anymore gasps or hints of pain from escaping. However, when they took him into the room he couldn't help but gasp.

* * *

So so so so so so sorry about the wait...i didn't mean to make it so long. I just got caught up in school and drama and Rocky Horror that i lost track. I'm really sorry, so today i got on an extra suger high and well, i hoped it worked. 


	24. Chapter 24

Brennan was turned away from the door, forced to face a corner of this new hellhole that they had taken him to. An ugly sleet gray cinder block walled room with a concrete floor and cold metal chairs. He knew it was a lab by smell and by the equipment that littered the other walls. To his left he could feel the agents, watching him, to his right he could feel Eckhart sneering at him, but he never gave them the satisfaction of a glance or squirm. They were trying to make him uncomfortable, well they were doing a damn fine job, but he'd never let them know.

A few minuets passed before he heard a knock on the door. "Ahh…. they're finally here," Eckhart said, and one of the agents moved to open the door. Brennan heard something being wheeled in, a gurney his gut told him, then someone gasped….

"Brennan?" That one word, his own name, made him flinch. It sounded so hushed, weak and forced, like the speaker was using up all his strength to say that one thing. Brennan doubted anything had ever made him more afraid then that one word.

"Jess, that you?" he breathed out.

"Mos…" Jesse broke off as he started to cough; it was a few moments before he could regain his breath, "Mostly…."

"Now that we're all reacquainted," Eckhart's voice broke in before the teammates could say anything else, "why don't we get started. Dr. Harrison, if you will please?"

"Hey, what's going on? What are you doing?" Brennan shouted as he tried to look behind him.

"Don't tell them anything…" Jesse's sentence was cut off by his own scream. In Brennan's mind he saw his best friend floating next to him in a lake, and himself losing control of his own powers.

* * *

Emma explained her plan very carefully. Jessica had said she had, for as long as she could remember, had always had her powers. It was a fact that the governors kept new mutants from using their powers. However, new mutants were created, someone played with their DNA in order to make them. If Jessica had been using her powers since she was a baby, then there was a strong chance that she wasn't a new mutant at all, just natural gifted. And if that were the case, then maybe the governors didn't work on her.

It took Emma a full ten minuets to explain this to the skeptics that surrounded her. She had finally won them over by throwing her hands up in the air and saying, "Well if anyone else has any bright ideas then I'm all ears!"

So there they were, testing out Emma's theory, trying to get Jessica to move Emma's bracelet towards her.

"Ugh! It's no use! I just can't do it?"" Jessica said, slouching against the wall.

The was a moment's silence, and Shalimar and Witson both sank to the floor with looks of despair, Jessica and Emma's theory had been their last hope. Emma however just sat in deep thought, then fixed her inquisitive gaze on Jessica and asked her "why not?"

"What?" Jessica asked, looking at Emma as if she had suddenly grown a horn.

"Why can't you do it? What's so hard?" Emma asked again.

"Gee, I don't know maybe because of this little thing in the back of my neck?" Jessica snapped.

"Or maybe that's what you think is holding you back. Maybe you got it in you head that because we can't use our powers you can't as well. Maybe you should just give it a try, not thinking about what we can't do, but what you can," Emma said, with the calmness of a Buddhist priest.

Jessica took a second to think about what Emma said and determined that it made sense. So she squared her shoulders, cleared her mind, and focused on the bracelet. It moved like at bat out of hell straight for her.

* * *

Adam looked around the Helix one last time, making sure he had everything and thanking god once again for Jesse. The man had thought of everything, there were weapons for those of the group who didn't have powers, i.e., Adam, there was a PDA that was of Jesse's own design, able to hack into any system in a matter of four minuets, and there were also a small collection of smoke grenades and sleeping gas bombs.

"My own little armory. Thanks Jess. Well, here goes nothing…" with that, Adam stepped outside of the Helix and headed for the base.

* * *

It's short, i know. Barely two pages, but i kind of just broke my hand, so um...may i go to the doctors? besides, now the real fun starts.


	25. Chapter 25

Brennan couldn't see anything except what was in his head but he could hear. He didn't know it was possible for someone to scream so long or so loud.

"Stop it!" He could hear his own strained voice, competing with Jesse's to be heard. "Stop it! Leave him alone!"

For a moment Brennan thought that they had heard him and were actually complying, but he knew that was too good to be true.

"Why did you stop?" Eckhart asked Harrison.

"This is very interesting…do you see the patterns?"

"Ah yes…what do you think that is?"

"I believe that it's his body's attempt to prevent damage. You see how it's centered where the pads are attached and spreads…it's a self-preservation tactic…it really is quit interesting…."

"He's not a fucking experiment!" Brennan had been listening to the two men talk while he could ear Jesse weathering and the anger had finally lashed out.

"I'm sorry, did you say something?" Eckhart said, condescendingly.

"He's not an experiment! He's a human!"

"Oh but he is an experiment," came the sickly seductive voice of Laura Brooks. "You all are…didn't Adam tell you that? It was an experiment, a mistake, that created you…"

"He's not a lab rat…" Brennan hissed.

"You know Mr. Mulwray, there is a way that you can spare your friend. You could just give in and answer our questions…" Eckhart said, coming with inches of Brennan's face.

There was a silence in the room for a few moments then Jesse spoke. "Do…don't… take…I can take it…don't give in…" but even as Jesse said it, his voice was shaking and small.

* * *

"Oh my god. It worked…" Jessica said staring in disbelief at the bracelet now in her hand.

Both Shal and Witson had dropped their jaws in awe. Emma, however, was beaming like a proud mother. "She," she said, "I knew I was right."

"But how it this going to help? I'm not the type that can blow things off the walls or anything," Jessica said, shaking herself out of her wonder.

"Well, we kind of need the guy with the keys to come in here…and then well…" Emma started, her eyes glowing.

"Then we can take him out," Shal said, catching on. "So Em, are we going to pull another damsel?"

"Uh huh."

"What's a damsel?" Witson asked.

"You'll see…" both girls chimed together.

* * *

Adam made his way slowly to the compound. After he had scanned the area thanks to Jesse's PDA, he had found a weak point at the front of the building. Slowly Adam eased his way in, gun at the ready. Normally he hated the things and would never touch them with a ten-foot pull. He thought the crude and evil; strongly believing no one deserved to be shot. However, if Harrison of Eckhart had hurt anyone of his team, which he knew they had, then he wouldn't hesitate to use it…but just to wound them.

The entrance way was clear, except for some burnt pieces of cinder block and pipe and a smoking power box. 'Brennan must have fried some of the circuits, that would explain why it's so easy to get in,' Adam noted. He only paused briefly to survey the damage then was on his way.

He headed towards a hallway directly across from him. He entered it cautiously, disappointed that it parted into two directions. "So, which way do I go?"

The answer came in the form of sound waves. To his left, Adam could make out the faint sound of a scream. 'Jesse….'

* * *

"Come now Mr. Mulwray, can't you hear how your friend suffers? How can you listen to him scream?" Eckhart whispered into Brennan's ear during a break in the torture. "He's lost a lot of blood…more then what most people can survive. He's week, in agony, dieing even. But you can stop it…you can save him. All you have to do is tell us where Adam is…"

Brennan's mind was racing. He wanted so badly to keep them from hurting Jesse farther. He already felt like this was his fault. But Jesse's words stuck with him, "Don't tell, I can take it."

'If Jesse thinks he can take it…I trust Jesse….' "He's strong," Brennan whispered.

"He's strong! He's strong! Do you hear that Mr. Kilmartin! You're strong! Mr. Mulwray here can save you from a world of pain, but he claims that you are strong enough to withstand this!" Eckhart exclaimed mockingly. "What say you Mr. Kilmartin? Are you? Well are you?"

Silence was all that answered Eckhart, and then the silence was filled with the hum of electricity followed by Jesse's screaming.

The torture had begun again, Jesse in his physical pain and Brennan with his mental.

* * *

"Somebody Help! Get Your Asses In Here! She's Having A Fit!" Witson yelled as he tired to restrain Emma who was convulsing on the floor.

"Help Her! You Ass holes! Help Her!" Shal joined in.

"Help! Please! She's dieing!" Jessica added. All three had their eyes pined on Emma.

Almost as instantly as they called the door to their cellblock was swung open and two GSA agents came rushing in looking pissed. One look at Emma though and they quickly rushed into Emma's and Witson's cell.

"What's going on?" one of them barked as they pushed Witson away from Emma who was still convulsing.

"I don't know…she just started shaking…" Witson stated.

"You have to help her!" Shal pleaded.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, keep your pants on girlie," the agent said off handedly.

If Shal could have used her powers, her eyes would have been glowing gold, instead she hissed, "I wouldn't want to explain to Eckhart why the strongest Panasonic died in her holding cell."

The agent looked up at Shal, fear in his eyes, and that was all it took. Emma stopped shaking and slugged the agent holding her while Witson slugged the other. At the same time Jessica used her power to steel the keys to the cells. With in seconds the four mutants had over powered the agents and were free of their cells and had deactivated their governors.

"So that's a damsel," Witson said.

"Uh huh," Emma nodded, smiling. "Now, Shal, let's go get our boys.

* * *

So, uh, what do u think? This make up for the weak chapter that i posted last time? Oh, and i didn't brakemy hand and am on fall break so i'll probably get another chapter out before the end of the week. 


	26. Chapter 26

Adam moved slowly down the hall. The screaming was better then a trial of bread chromes, but it made Adam sick. The last time Jesse has screamed like that was during Harrison's tests.

"Harrison, I swear to god I'm going to kill you…" Adam said softly.

"But not if I get to him first," came a feminine growl from behind him. Adam spun, gun at the ready, to face the speaker.

"Wow, Adam, relax, we're on your side," Shalimar said, the ghost of a smile on her face. She was standing next to Emma who had a far away look about her, that Adam found a little worrisome. Behind them stood a man carrying another woman who Adam didn't recognize.

"Where did you guys come from? Are you alright?" Adam said looking at each of the four mutants in front of him.

"Yeah Adam, we're ok. This is Jessica and Witson, they're on our side," Emma said distractedly, pointing behind her. " We'll explain everything latter, but we got to get to the boys….they're this way…" she added, moving to take the lead.

"Yeah, like the screaming didn't give that away…" Shal grumbled.

Adam gave her a warning look, and moved behind Emma. The group made their way down the hall as quickly as they could.

* * *

Brennan was losing his nerve. He couldn't stand knowing that they were torturing Jesse practically right in front and there was nothing he could do. To top that, that damn Panasonic agent was still playing tricks with Brennan's head. While he knew that he was in a lab with Jesse and that it was the GSA hurting him, the only thing he could see was Jesse and he in a lake, soaking wet, and himself losing control, electrocuting his best friend. The worse part was that there was no end in sight….

"Alright! That's enough for now!" Eckhart yelled, and the 'test' was ended. Brennan hared the generator cutting of, Jesse's labored breathing and a couple of grumbles. The images in his head cut off, leaving him staring at a cold cinder block wall.

"There's no use killing him yet. Or ourselves for that matter, I say we take a break for a while," there was no argument, no one wanted to piss off the boss. As they all started to leave Brennan hared Eckhart say, "You two stand outside, let no one in until we get back." And then the two were a lone.

"Jess…Jess, you there?"

"I'm here…" Jesse said, his voice so distant and weak that it sent shivers down Brennan's spine.

"How you holding up?"

"Just peachy…thi…think I could…paint the town…."

Brennan chuckled, "Yeah, trying getting past Adam, hell forget Adam…Shalimar…."

Silence.

"Jesse?"

Silence.

"Jesse, you there bro? Hey Jesse?" Brennan said, just short of frantic.

"Yeah…still here…just dozing…." Jesse said weakly.

"Yeah, well don't do that, scare the crap out of me…I swear Jesse…" Brennan mumbled.

"Hey Bren…I've been thinking…."

"Don't hurt yourself."

That got a laugh out of Jesse, "Don't do that…make jokes…hurt's enough…talking…."

"Sorry."

"I was thinking…how long can you hang in there?"

"They're not doing anything to me…" Brennan heard Jesse mumble something that sounded like bullshit. "What you say?"

"I'm not doing to well…big surprise…think you can hang in there 'til I die?"

"What! What the hell are you talking about Jess! Have you lost your mind!" Brennan snapped.

"No…feeling…"

"What?"

"No feeling anymore…."

"Jess…" fear filled Brennan as he started to understand what Jesse was saying. "Jess…Jess…if I tell them then they'll…."

"Kill me. Harrison wants…wants to cut my…head open…just hold out…"

"Oh yeah, and what do you think's going to happen to me when your…it'll be my turn…."

"But you're stronger Brennan…you can hold out 'til Adam gets here…."

There was a silence as Brennan thought about what Jesse was saying, weighing it against common sense and what his instincts were telling him. His instincts won.

"We're going to be fine Jess…They'll get us out of here…don't you go anywhere you hear me? Everything's going to be fine, you hear me?"

"I hear you…" Jesse said as he started to cough.

* * *

Emma stopped suddenly, halfway down the hall, her eyes scanning around, like a nerves dear.

"Emma…" Adam said, after almost walking into her.

"Hide," was her only reply.

Without question the others separated, looking for anywhere to hide. Emma chose to stay out in the open, projecting an image of herself as the wall. Shalimar and Adam found an empty room to hide in close by, and Jessica used her powers to left herself and Witson of the ground.

Seconds passed before Eckhart, Harrison, Laura and two agents exited a room about twenty feet from the group. Eckhart turned to the two agents and told them, "You two stand outside, let no one in until we get back." Then the group started heading down the hall in silence, never noticing the others.

Emma, Sal, Adam, Jessica, and Witson held their breath as the smaller group passed. They waited a minuet before they moved from their hiding spots.

Shal was the first to move, giving everyone a signal to stay put. She walked bluntly towards the two agents who were just standing around talking.

"Hey fellows," she purred, distracting them from their conversation. "Can you tell me where my friends are?" For a moment it seemed that Shal had hypnotized the two men with her looks alone, but they both quickly snapped out of it and charged at her.

Shal's eyes flashed gold and she gave a wicked smile, crouching down in a defensive position. In seconds the fight was over, Shal flipped the first man over, using the momentum to do a back flip, catching the second man under the chine. He slumped to the floor lifeless. She landed on top of the first man, and with a kick to his head he was out as well.

"Very nice, a thirty second win without even using your hands," Emma said as she emerged from the wall and the others came out of hiding as well.

"Was it really thirty seconds? I was going for twenty five," Shal whined.

"Yes, well, you can work on it later. Let's just get Jesse and Brennan," Adam said as he headed for the room the two men had been guarding.

Upon entering, none of the rescuers were prepared for what they saw.

* * *

Well, that's all for now kiddies. I think I'll be done with this one in another chapter or two, then i can start on a whole new story. Wouldn't that be nice? Anyway, enjoy this chap and the next one(s). Thank's to everyone who reviwed and keep 'em coming.


	27. Chapter 27

I'm soooooo sorry about the loooooooooooooong wait, and the short chapter, but i kind of have writer's block...but don't worry, i will finish this story soon...anyway, enjoy this chap and you all have safe party days.

* * *

Brennan was scared, not just worried, scared. Jesse was gasping, coughing, and whimpering, and wouldn't or couldn't answer Brennan's calls. 

"Jesse! Jesse! Come on man, stay with me!" Brennan begged, fighting desperately against his ropes. "Hang in there! Don't you dare gave up!" He called again as Jesse's fit became more violent.

Outside he could her a commotion, probably the two guards trying to figure out what was going on inside, any second he knew they'd bust through the door and if they saw him breaking free they'd probably beat him. But he didn't care, 'let them come,' he thought, 'then at least Jesse will get help.'

As if someone was reading his thoughts the door busted open. Brennan stiffened for a second, trying to see who was behind him, but the answer came to his ears first.

"Shalimar, hold Jesse still!"

* * *

Adam was past shock by what he saw, words couldn't describe the feelings that arose in him. One glance at Shal and he new that no man would survive her wrath. Wordlessly she obeyed, but the deep breath that she took and held in did not go unnoticed by Adam, the feral hated the sent of blood, but she despised the sent of Jesse's. 

Quickly Adam surveyed the scene, pushing all feelings out of his mind. Brennan, he could see, was moving and already had Emma tending to him. Jesse's chest was split open, there was a generator connected to his internal organs and other burns and cuts all over him. The convulsions were probably caused by shock, and lack of air. Even from where he stood Adam could see the broken ribs.

Adam turned to Witson, who still carried Jessica. "He needs adrenaline, now!"

"The far shelf, first cabinet," Jessica answered, knowing all the rooms were the same.

Adam quickly moved to where she had instructed, and sure enough it was there. He pulled out the vile and a needle and quickly injected the substance into Jesse's slowing hart.

With in seconds it started to work. Jesse's hart started to pump at full strength again, and his convulsing stopped. Shalimar barely noticed; she was too concerned with running her hand through Jesse's hair and whispering to him.

Now that Jesse was reasonably stable, Adam turned his attention to Brennan, who was being supported by Emma.

Though Brennan had defiantly fared better then Jess, he was still pretty bad off. His face was swollen, his body covered in blood, and his eyes didn't have their normal light to them. Whatever Brennan had suffered, it had affected his mind more then his body.

"How are you feeling?" Adam asked him.

"I want to go home," Brennan said weakly, resting his head on Emma slightly.

Adam nodded, "Shalimar, we have to cover that wound," Adam said softly to her. He didn't want to spoke the already pissed off, and upset ferial. "Shalimar, we have to bandage him, it may hurt him, do you understand?" Adam said again. "To protect Jesse from farther injury and get him home somewhat safely, we need may have to hurt him slightly. Do you understand?"

Shalimar looked up at Adam, and for a second her eyes flashed gold, but she nodded and backed away slightly, still running a hand through Jesse's hair though.

"Gauze is up in the last cabinet, on the top shelf," Jessica said.

"Thank you," Adam responded as her retrieved it and set about the task of bandaging his 'son'. To his surprise, though fully awake, Jesse made no sounds as Adam pressed on the violent looking wounds. Adam met his gaze briefly, and they spoke volumes:

'Whatever you decide Adam, I trust you.'

"We need to move, fast. They're probably already on their way back, who knows if there are cameras set up. Shalimar, I want you in the lead, followed by Witson. Jessica you think you can support yourself for a while?"

"Sure," she said with out hesitation.

"Good. Emma, you and Brennan next, I'll follow with Jesse," Adam paused and stood back to examine Jesse. "Alright he's ready, lets move."


	28. Chapter 28

The team made their way slowly down the hall, both Shalimar and Emma keeping all their senses open, searching for any sign of the GSA. As they neared the corner, it almost seemed that they'd get away with out incident. Almost.

To weak to scream, Jesse just moaned as the collar around his neck activated again and sent small pulses through out his body. His body felt like a million fiery needles were being pushed in to it and twisted. Quit simply, it was hell. His pain did not go unnoticed by Shalimar, who instantly spun around, causing everyone to halt.

Shal what the…?" Brennan started, a little annoyed because the sudden stop had jarred his injured body.

"They're close," Shal hissed, and began to move towards the back. She moved so cat like that if you hadn't been looking straight at her, you would have sworn a lioness was coming.

Shalimar moved beside Jesse and Adam, putting herself between her pack and danger. Her maternal instincts kicking in, she risked a glance at her brother, and her resolved strengthened ten full at the sight of him in so much pain. "Why don't you stop torturing Jesse and actually fight?" Shalimar called out in anger to what appeared to e an empty hallway.

"Shalimar?" Adam asked. He had learned through the years that even when it seemed Shal had lost it, she was really only picking up on something that the other's couldn't.

"Their here Adam, I can feel it. They have to be close, they're hurting Jesse," Shal hissed, scanning the hallway. 'Come on, where are you, there aren't that many places to hide,' she thought. She could feel Emma coming up on her right, slowly, smoothly, so as not to startle her. Witson was coming up on her left, not as carefully as Emma though. He didn't know better.

"Shalimar," Emma said calmly, "Let me deal with them. I can take them all out in one shot. Think of Jesse, he needs help and fast. We don't have time for a fight."

The animal in Shalimar wanted to argue, wanted to fight. It wanted to tare the Asses that had hurt her brother, her pack mate, to shreds and dance on their carcasses. But the human in Shalimar, the reason, knew Emma was right. She could feel the GSA approaching on them in the narrow hallway, and though she knew they could fight, she also knew it would put Jesse and even Brennan in more danger. Plus there was Adam to consider, and Emma was right, Jesse was fading fast, they just didn't have the time.

Animal gave way to reason.

"We'll keep moving," Shal said, "Give us as much time as you can before you attack," Shal said, knowing what Emma was going to do, and loving the idea of it. She turned to the group and started to usher them out, but then something caught her attention. Something in one of the rooms next to them. A sent, a mixture of lust and pleasure.

Jesse moaned again, weaker this time, and Shalimar started to move again, but before she did she turned to Emma and said, "They're in the room on the left."

* * *

Emma stood still in the hallway, the others had just disappeared from sight and an alarm had been sounded warning the rest of the base of their escape. 

Ekhart had been trying to play to Shalimar's mother instincts by continuing to hurt Jesse. He must have had a camera in the room or something and seen them. He probably figured tat Shal would want to lash out at them, which was true, and he knew that if he got Shal to fight, the others would back her. He probably had men in the room with him, an ambush or something.

What he hadn't counted on though was Emma seeing through it all, and picking up on the danger. Nor did he count on her ability to calm Shalimar. If he was under estimating her, he was going to have a very rude awakening.

"You're going to be sorry Ekhart. I'll make you so sorry for what you've done. You to Harrison. You'll never be the same after I'm done with you," Emma cooed to them, using her power to draw the men out.

The appeared in the doorway of the room that Shal had pointed out, Ekhart sneering and Harrison with the source of Jesse's torment in his hands.

"Why, Ms. DeLauro, such un-lady like words. I thought Adam would have taught you better," Ekhart jeered.

Emma gave him a cold smile, cold enough that it sent shivers down his spine. "Adam taught me plenty. He taught me how to do things like this…."

There was a flash of sheering pain in Ekharts world, so hot that it made him call out. He stumbled a bit, but caught himself on the door jam. "You little bitch…" he hissed.

"Oh, I'm more then a little bitch…Shalimar's been giving lesions," Emma cooed, walking towards the room. She smiled when she saw Harrison shaking and backing away from her. "Oh, what's the matter? Are you afraid of little ol' me?" she asked him.

"Ms. deLauro, I suggest you remain where you are," Ekhart snapped.

"Who's going to stop me?" Emma challenged.

"They will," Ekhart said, with confidence as several agents came out of the room he was hiding in.

"Please," Emma laughed, "you think they can do anything?"

The men circled around her, arrogant in the fact that they outnumbered her. But that arrogance was quickly shattered by one thought from Emma. In a second the GSA went from threatening her to running from her. Harrison and Ekhart were practically tripping over themselves trying to escaped, which only made Emma laugh more. She walked up to the two cowering men and plucked the remote Harrison was holding out of his hands. With one quick action she smashed it.

"If you ever hurt Jesse again I'll burry you in your mind," Emma hissed before she left.

* * *

The group moved faster, minus one. As it turned out Shalimar did get her chance to fight, taking out seven GSA, because of the damn alarm that had been sounded as soon as they left the hall. She smiled as their bones made satisfying sounds when she struck. 

When they reached the main door, the exit, it was Shal who gently scooped Jesse into a fireman's carry and carried him back to the Helix. Emma would need only minuets to insure their getaway. Shalimar didn't need to worry about her, she'd be fine. She had sense the anger radiating from the younger girl, and knew that all that anger would soon be directed at the Asses that had hurt Jesse and Brennan. And for now, that would work, that would be their vengeance. For now.

"He was a wake until you guys got there. I don't know exactly what they did to him…I think it was some form of electric shock…he was a wake though…" Shal heard Brennan tell Adam as she eased Jesse into a chair. His voice sounded strained, from pain as well as emotion. Once she was sure he was safely in the seat she stood back to examine him.

He was paler then death except for the red that seeped from the bandages on his chest and his nose and mouth. His eyes were closed and his breathing shallow. She could here it though, his breath, gargled sounds in his throat and lungs.

His face was still contorted, Emma must have been still holding off, giving them a few more seconds. Shal whished she'd just kill the Asses now so they would stop hurting Jesse.

"He's going to be alright, isn't Adam?" Shal heard Brennan ask, and she looked up. He had sounded so much like a lost child; she just had to make sure he was ok. She winched when she saw him. Though he wasn't as bad as Jesse, he wasn't in any condition to be walking around. His face was swollen; his lip cut open and other gashes marred his face. Their were bruises forming on his arms from where they had tied him and a look in his eyes said that he was going to need some major mental help, but he was standing. He was breathing, and he wasn't in danger anymore.

"He'll be fine as soon as we get him home," Adam reassured, and only Shalimar could hear the flatness of his voice.

She made a quick check of the other two passengers, who had settled themselves into seats. The both appeared to be fine, tired, but fine. Adam was taking care of Brennan; Emma would be here soon, so she could focus on Jesse. Shal crouched down so she was eye to eye with Jesse and took his hand.

"I'm here Jess. Hang on, it's almost over. I'm here."

"Shal…" Jesse whispered, a harsh sound from the depths of his throat.

"Yeah Jesse, I'm right here," she said, her voice full of anxiety.

"It doesn't hurt anymore…" he said, resting his head on his chair.

Shalimar studied his face, which was no longer twisted in pain. 'That a girl Emma,' Shal thought, as she turned to Adam and said start her up, Emma's on her way."

* * *

sorry if it's a bit gumboled...colds make u do funny things. 


	29. Chapter 29

Emma ran as fast as she could. Though she had taken care of Ekhart for the time being, she knew that it was still possible for him to get the others on her. Taking advantage of the Genomex vacation plan was not high on her to do list, I mean just look at what it did to Jesse.

Finally, after what seemed like forever she made it to the helix. As soon as she was in Adam took off, and the team made their way to home.

Em's first order of business was to examine her boys. Brennan was fine-ish. He looked bad and Em could sense that something was something else besides his body that was hurting, but for the most part he was fine. Jesse was the one that was in the most danger. She could feel him slipping away with every second. Every breath he took was a struggle, one that you could see thanks to his split open chest.

It took her only a second for Emma to hit Jesse with a blast of soothing energy, and the results were instant. His tense body relaxed visibly, and his breathing eased. Shal who had been kneeling by Jesse's side looked up at Emma, 'thank you' written all over her face.

Em gave her a smile and flopped down into a chair next to Witson and Jessica. She allowed her mind to zone, falling into the rhythm of the Helix. Before she knew it they were back at Sanctuary.

* * *

"What's taking so long?" Shal asked for the thousandth time. Em, Witson, and Jessica were all gathered in the Dojo. They had reached Sanctuary about two hours ago and so far they had heard nothing from Adam. 

"There's two of them in there Shal, relax. You know Adam, he'll be in there until he's sure they're both in the clear," Emma said trying to ease the fear in her friend.

"Jesse is hurt badly though. Partly, mostly, because of me...for that I am greatly sorry…I pray that everything is fine," Witson said softly and sincerely.

Shal looked at the formor agent and nodded. For some reason she belived the man, despit what he had done to Jesse. "He's strong...Jesse's been through a lot..." she tried weakly.

Emma felt both of their pain.She wanted to help them, so she did the only thing she knew how to, she shut her eyes and breathed deep several times. Shal recognized this as her 'reading' the surroundings.

"Adam isn't tense…Brennan's hurting…he needs therapy, again…Jesse's vague…medicine…But there isn't anything really…" She said as she came back to herself.

Shal smiled at her, "Thanks Emma."

"I don't mean to sound selfish, but is there a place were I may sleep?" Jessica asked softly after a few minuets of silence. "It's just that my head is hurting…."

Emma smiled softly, understanding perfectly as always. "Sure, I'll show you to one of the guest rooms. If you want, I can wake you when Adam's out."

"That'll be great. Thank you," Jessica said, and the two girls were off.

* * *

Adam stood in the lab staring at his two 'sons.' 

Brennan had been beaten buoyed what Adam thought he could take. His jaw was fractured, his face was swollen, and several fingers and ribs were broken as well. There was something else that Adam couldn't put his finger on, but he didn't want to push it. Right now, all Brennan needed was rest. And with a few painkillers and a lot of ice, Adam had managed to make Brennan comfortable enough to sleep.

With Brennan now drifting off to sleep, Adam could focus on Jesse.

He had given Jesse a mild sedative, to help with the pain. He hadn't even dared to touch him until he was sure the medication had kicked in. And by the glazed look in Jess' eyes, he was sure.

"He was unbelievable Adam…" Brennan whispered as the drugs began taking full affect.

"Take it easy Brennan, let the drugs work," Adam said as he began to peel back the bandages on Jesse's chest.

"What they did…he was put through hell Adam…he…" Brennan started, but he couldn't quit grasp what he was going to say.

"I know Brennan, just rest. I'll take care of him now," Adam said reassuringly as he watched Brennan drift off to drug induce sleep. "Now for you my young friend. Let's see what those asses did to you."

Adam started to examine the wounds on Jesse's chest and body. The wound was deep, infected, and impossible to stitch. Adam would have to clean it, cut out the dead flesh, and pack the wound with gaze and let it heal from the inside out. He would also have to replace a good deal of Jesse's blood. He had already started using plasma. From what he could tell, there were also a series of first and second degree burns dotting his torso and face. Adam could still smell the stench of burnt flesh on Jesse's skin.

However that wasn't what was worrying Adam. At the moment, though in tremendous pain, Jesse was stable for the most part, a little more plasma wouldn't hurt. The wound would close, the burns heal, he'd worry about scarring latter. No, there were two things that were holding Adam's concern.

The first was the collar that was around Jesse's neck. It was very similar to a governor, but it was a little more complicated. Instead of just piercing the brain steam to gain control of the mutant, this thing attached itself. It was imbedded in Jesse's neck.

"I'll have to surgically remove it…" Adam said to himself.

"Just…make…sure…I'm…a…sleep…" Jess coughed out through the drugs.

"Jess!" Adam said in surprise, "Are you alright?"

"Hurts…Adam…breathing…" Jesse said, labored.

"I know Jess, try and relax, I know it hurts. I can't give you anything more, I'm sorry."

"Know…just…hard…."

"Breathing?"

Jesse gave a very slight nod.

"Hmmm….that's what I was afraid of…" Adam said as he carefully examined Jesse's internal organs, which were visible through the wound. Jesse did his best to grin and bare it, but Adam could tell he was hurting him, but he had to be sure… "Damn it."

"What's…wrong…" Jesse panted.

"Your lungs are damaged, badly."


	30. Chapter 30

"How bad is he Adam?" Shalimar asked the question that was on everyone's minds.

The four conscious members of Mutant X, Jessica and Witson were all gathered in the dojo. It had been about twelve hours since they had arrived back at Sanctuary and already two things were clear. The first, Brennan was fine; after sleeping for a while he was almost back to himself and just as stubborn as always. The second, Jesse was in serious danger.

"I spent the night running test…the damage I found, I can't imagine how it's possible for him to even be alive, let alone in and out of sleep. He has an infection, the wounds weren't treated probably. It'll heal though, slowly, but it'll heal. The new and improved governor can be removed, it'll take surgery, but it shouldn't leave any damage. He's weak, anemic, in a great deal of pain…and that's the good news," Adam said, with more then a little distain.

"I'm afraid to ask…what's the bad news?" Emma asked after a brief moment of silence.

Adam took a deep breath and addressed Brennan, "When you two went back to the factory, what happened?" Adam and the others were already aware of the fight that Jesse and Brennan had, had seemingly a life time ago. But there was little talk of the recalculation so a full account had never been heard.

"We talked for awhile then we noticed this smell, gas. It was leaking out everywhere…the door was jammed and I was passing out…" Brennan said, straining to remember.

"Brennan, this is important, did Jesse phase?" Adam asked, dreading the answer.

"He had to; I mean I was outside when I woke up…."

"Yes, I understand that he phased, but there's a difference between phasing the wall and himself. Did _he _phase?"

Brennan looked at Adam with regret, "I don't know, I was out. I'm sorry."

Adam sighed, frustrated, and began to rub his temples.

"Adam?" Shalimar asked, her concerned eyes searching his. She knew the news was bad, she knew that Jesse was in a lot of trouble, and she'd wish Adam would just tell her what was endangering him.

"Genomex uses a gas called Vecuronium Bromide. It's a nerve gas that takes away you're ability to move and puts you to sleep. Both Brennan and Jesse were exposed to it, Brennan for a shorter period. The longer exposed to the gas the more damage done, often it leaves a person paralyzed. If Jesse phased, the gas would mix directly with his molecules. It would damage his lungs…his nerve. Now that I think about it, that's probably why he's still able to wake up. His nerves are practically paralyzed. Combine the gas with the electric shock…" Adam trailed off and looked at the others, all of who had confused expressions, not following a single thing Adam had said.

"Brennan and Jesse inhaled Vecuronium Bromide, a nerve gas that if exposed to long enough will cause paralysis. If Jesse phased while surrounded by the gas then it would fuse with his molecules. His lungs already weakened by the gas, were only aggravated more by the electric shook, not to mention the broken ribs. I'm surprise he's still alive. But he may not be for very much longer."

There was a silence as the others took in Adam's words. Silently Adam watched as the realization hit home and the devastation began to show.

Emma was the first to realize, and a look of pain Adam had never seen before crossed her eyes. She silently bowed her head and started to cry soft sobs that still managed to shake her body. Brennan was the next to realize, feelings of pain, fear, and guilt crossing his face. He couldn't fight the tears, even as he took Emma into his arms and tried to sooth her.

Witson and Jessica took the news worse then Adam would expect considering only hours ago they had met Jess and Witson had tried to kill him. But the expression of guilt and sorrow on their faces were sincere and honest, telling Adam that they were hit almost as hard as the others.

Shalimar was all that remained. Her face was blank, her body squared, like she was getting ready to fight. And perhaps she was.

To anyone it would seem the news hadn't affected her at all. That it was just some sad story that Adam had told. However, she wasn't surrounded by anyone. This was he pack, her team, and they could see deep inside the emotions that were ready to explode.

Silently she stood from her place on the dojo steps, and with out a glance or word made her way to the med lab.

"Shal…" Brennan called, but refrained from saying anything else with one look from Adam.

'She needs to be cold, she has to be right now. She'll melt latter, but right now she needs to be numb,' Adam's eyes said. And Brennan went back to tending to Emma.

* * *

Brennan and Emma still sat on the dojo steps. They were the only two left there. Shal had wondered off, while Adam had taken Jessica and Witson to start getting them new identities. They'd leave for the underground tonight.

Brennan was stiff and sore, his injured arm screaming for relaxation. But he ignored it, Emma was still crying. Dry sobs now, but she still needed someone to hold her, and he'd be damned if he let her go.

Inside his head, his emotions were battling with his memories. The memories were telling him that there was nothing he could have done, after all he was one guy with one hand when they took him. Number two, he wasn't prepared for Emma and Shal to get cornered by the GSA or for Jesse to be so bad off. And number three, it wasn't his fault that Jesse got electrocuted. They used a generator, the images were all made up, all in his head. But his emotions kept saying that there was more he could have done.

He couldn't help but feel like a failure, that he'd failed his best friend. 'There we were, suffocating slowly and he use what was probably the last of his strength to shove me throw a wall, probably killing himself in the process. Then when it got down to it, when he needed me I failed him. I might as well have electrocuted him myself for all the good I did. It's my fault that he's dieing…I failed him….'

"Don't think that…don't ever think that," Emma said harshly. "You didn't do anything! How were you supposed to know that the tank would leek or the door jam? How were you supposed to know that Shal and I would get in trouble? This isn't your fault Brennan. It isn't your fault."

Brennan looked at her red eyes and the determination and fierceness in them and wished that he could have the same faith in himself that she had in him. "Em…when they had Jess and I…when they were…you know…" Brennan said, a little embarrassed.

"Yeah," Emma prompted.

"Well, they had this mutant, and he got into my head. I could hear them hurting Jesse. I could here the electricity and the sound it made on his lungs and him screaming…" Brennan said, a little to fast, like he was trying to rush through more then just the words. "And Em, in my head, in my head I saw him…only we weren't in that lab, we were in a lake. And we were drowning and my powers went out of control, and he was still screaming, but it was me…it was my fault…" Brennan could feel the tears starting to fall, and if it had been anyone else but Emma he would have played them off or left. But it wasn't anyone else, and he didn't have to be afraid of emotions, so he just let them fall.

Emma for her part, listened, and when he was done, did the only thing she knew to do, and held him. It was his turn to break down into sobs.


	31. Chapter 31

Shalimar stood in the dark of the lab staring at her younger brother. She was at a lose for anything to say, anything to do. If it was another one of his nightmares, she'd wake him. If he was sick, heartbroken, or hurt, she'd comfort him. Unfortunately though, he was dieing and there wasn't anything she could do. That is except for watch him, be with him, make sure that he wasn't alone.

He looked so weak, so dead, so hurt that she couldn't bear to touch him. His breathing was off, she could hear the gargling. His sent was off, though she couldn't quite place the difference. She bet if she looked into those clear sky eyes, they'd be cloudy. Her brother was dying and there was nothing she could do.

She signed, a long, angry bitter sigh, which did nothing to relieve her anger or pain.

She had thought that she'd lost him once, when he had first come to Sanctuary. He had gotten pneumonia, normally only a slight concern, but for a molecular…the constant and uncontrollable phasing and massing had worn him down. The suffocating attacks, when his lungs just stopped working, the fevers, it had almost been to much for his body. One night he had stopped breathing, his hart had stopped, and he had turned blue. It was a miracle he had lived. And that's what she needed now, a miracle.

"Come on Jesse, please pull through. You have to be ok, please Jesse," she begged quietly. There was no response except for the gargled breath and the beeping of the monitors.

"Shalimar?" Brennan called softly from the door. She didn't turn around, she kept staring at Jesse. "Adam wants you and I to take Jessica and Witson to the underground, get them there safely. Jessica's going to safe house five and Witson safe house seven. I'm taking Jessica…" he trailed off, eyes falling on Jess. "I can take them both if you'd like."

Part of her jumped at the chance, let Brennan do it, let him take the two former agents to the two farthest away safe houses they had, while she stayed with her brother. But something in her told her that Adam wanted her to go. There was a reason that she had to leave and it had to do with Jesse. 'And if Adam wants me gone, then that means he's going to try something drastic and he doesn't need the added stress of a worried mama lion hanging around.'

Turning around, she addressed Brennan, "No, no, I'm fine. They're ready to go?"

"Uh, yeah," Brennan answered, snapping his eyes back to Shalimar.

'He's been crying,' she thought, 'For Jesse…?'

Shalimar sighed and turned back to Jesse. She walked over to him and gently brushed sweet drenched blood hair out of his face. She smiled sadly at the angle like expression on his face. 'Doesn't matter what's wrong, if you're in agony or not, you always look like an angle. Why is that? Is it so anything bad coming your way while you were sleeping will think twice about hurting you? Then why didn't it work? Why doesn't it ever work? People keep hurting you….'

Jesse stirred ever so slightly, letting a small whimper escape his lips. She bit her lip to keep from crying. She refused to let herself break down now, not yet. She bent down, close to Jess' ear, "You hang tough bro. I'll be back soon, and I want to see you up and around, got it? I love you Jess, I love you." She gave him a loving kiss on his eye lids and then turned back to Brennan.

"Alright, let's go."

* * *

"Adam," Emma called softly into his room, "They've left."

"Alright Emma, I'll be in the lab in a minuet, why don't you go prep Jess?" he said with out looking at her. He was too caught up staring at a picture of a blond young man and a blond young woman, both covered in mud and looking very pleased with themselves.

Emma gave a sad smile and sent Adam a wave of comfort before she silently left him to happier times.

Adam barely noticed the extra comfort. He just stayed locked in his thoughts. 'God, I'm not a religious man, heaven knows I've cursed and denied you existence enough. But I know that Jesse has some faith; that he believes in something, so I'm asking you to keep him with us, to let me fix him on his behalf. Please God, don't give up on him, 'because I know he hasn't given up on you.'

* * *

"All set?" Adam asked as he entered the lab.

"He's as stable as he's going to get," Emma said, looking worriedly down at Jess.

"Which isn't much," Adam sighed.

"What is it exactly that you're going to do again?" Emma asked.

"I'm making a guess and acting on it. The gas has molded with his lungs, I'm going to see if we can undo that. You see the longer it stays in there, the more damage it does, the more likely we'll lose him. I'm also planning to, at the same time, fix the places they burned."

"How?" Emma asked, engrossed.

"Well, the amazing thing about molecules, at least Jesse's kind, is that if there's something that isn't a part of the body when they un-phase, it tends to push it out. The reason the gas entered Jess' body was because he was in a room full of it and he needs air to un-phase," Adam answered before Emma could ask the question. "I'm hoping that if we can stimulate a phase, we can replace the toxic air with pure oxygen."

"And that's where I come in, I'm going to make him phase. But how are you going to fix the burns?"

"After his lungs are clean, and he has sometime to rest, I'm going to take clones of healthy organ tissue and replace the damaged tissue. With any luck, that'll take care of it. First though, I need to get his lungs clear."

* * *

Emma was exhausted. It had taken her twenty minuets to get Jesse to phase; he had a lot of barriers to protect him, which was probably a good thing normally. And after she had gotten him to phase she had to make him hold it until Adam said it was clear, then to un-phase him. She had no idea how Jesse could manage to do that to himself day after day.

Now she sat, half awake, half a sleep, by his bed side. It looked like Adam's guess had been right; Jesse's lungs had been steadily improving. Soon he'd be ready for the surgery to repair his organs. It was all they had hoped for, finally good news amongst all the bad.

"Emma, you go get some rest. That was a major strain on you. I'll stay with him," Adam said, helping the young woman to her feet.

"Alright, but you be sure to get some too," Emma yawned, and with one final look at Jesse she went off to her room.

Adam took the seat vacated by Emma and stared at Jesse moment. He then took the young man's had gently in him and spoke softly, "We'll Jess, step one is cleared. But you're not out of the woods yet."


	32. Chapter 32

Emma shot straight up in bed. Something was wrong…there was pain in the air. It was so thick she was choking on it. He climbed out of bed and pulled on a pair of sweat pants to go with the t-shirt she was wearing.

She ran down the hall, almost franticly, her hart racing, and tears forming in her eyes. As she became more awake, she could sense that there were three people who were hurting, crying, dieing inside. She opened her mind searching for who they were. She could pike out Brennan, Shalimar, and Adam, but when she went to find Jesse, there was nothing there. Not even the blackness of sleep.

Emma stopped in mid stride and tried to reach out again. Nothing.

She tried again. Nothing. Again and again, and nothing and nothing.

Finally she gave up and with a hart shattering scream she slumped to the floor sobbing.

Jesse was gone….


	33. Chapter 33

Emma woke startled. Franticly she opened her mind and looked around.

Shalimar and Brennan were back, they were tired and tense. Adam was worried, tense and tired. And Jesse…Jesse was blissfully asleep. He was alive.

Emma breathed a great sigh of relief as she put on a pair of sweat pants. Calmly, but with hast, she headed for the lab. She wanted to see for herself that Jesse was alright, that the hart monitor was still beeping away.

When she got there, she was happy to see that Adam, Shalimar or Brennan wasn't hovering. The lab was dim, not dark, but dim so it wouldn't hurt Jesse's eyes. Jesse was stretched out on the table, pale, sickly, and weak, but alive. The only color he had came from the y-incision that had hints of red out lining it.

"Oh thank God," Emma said softly studying him.

The blanket that had been covering him had slipped off to the floor, showing that the paleness wasn't just on his chest. 'A bad sign,' Emma though as she went to retrieve the blanket. As she got closer to Jess she noticed that on the inner thigh of his right leg a blue-ish, green-ish mark stood out. It was about the shape and the size of three fingers pressing on something and all very strange to Emma.

'What the hell could that be,' she asked herself as she traced it with her finger.

A flash of color greeted her as she unexpectedly entered Jesse's mind. It was hard to get past the pain at first but soon she broke fear into the fear and panic. Once through that she got into the anger, the grief, then confusion and then to round it all off the pain was back. But that was the last of the basic emotions, and soon she was in Jesse's head.

She'd never been good at this, 'reading minds.' The mind never showed her the memory, it showed her the feeling and the feeling sometimes was clear and strong enough that she could see a picture. She kind of hoped that she wouldn't be able to see what Jesse was trying to tell her, words always hurt her less then direct contact.

Alas though, it was not to be so.

The feeling she got was one of her least favorite, in fact it was one of her most hated…violation…. It was so strong, and so focused that the picture Emma saw was better the HD.

_A woman leaned over top of Jesse, dark hair fall into his face. She rubbed her fingers along Jesse's abs, and spoke to him in a false, motherly voice, "Welcome back, my little Freak."_

_Jesse shivered at the touch, and tried to pull away. He was disgusted, afraid and he couldn't move. _

_He tired to talk, but failed and the woman laughed. A soft, seductive sound that made Jesse's insides turn. "Don't worry my little Freak," she said as she rustled his hair, "Dr. Harrison will be with you shortly." _

_A blur, blind panic and a new focused._

_She was touching him again, pressing the small sensor pads; first on his neck, then his chest, and then his stomach. But her hands didn't stop there; they traced a path down to his waist, under the waistband of his pants._

_There were voices, then she patted Jesse's leg and turned to leave. _

_Flashes, haze…gave way to voices._

"_Hello my darling Freak. How are you doing? What? Cat has your tongue? That's alright, I like the silent types." She leaned over him, her lips brushing agents his._

_Desperate, get away, no… her hand was holding his head in place. "Oh, don't worry Freak; I don't bite on the first kiss." She pressed her lips against his. Anger, he spat in her face._

_Stunned, she laughed, and smacked his face. Yanked his head up, by his hair, he had no choice but to look at her. "You can spit, so that means you can talk. Harrison will be thrilled to hear that. So now we can resume the testing." She let his head fall, and kissed him once more._

Emma pulled out of the series, but she was sure there was more in there, stumbling back, back to herself.

As the world came back into focused Emma could feel the tears in her eyes.

"Bitch…" it was the only thing she could think to say. "Bitch," she said again, clutching her hands into fists so tight, he nails dug into her palms.

"Em…" came a harsh whisper.

Emma looked over to see Jesse awake, barely. His eyes were soft and full of concern for the younger woman. He held out his hand as much as he could and she took it gently.

"Ok…I'm…ok," he said haggardly, like even those little words coasted him precious energy and air.

"Jesse…" Emma said softly, tears in his eyes. He had no idea what she's seen, he thought that she was upset because he was hurt. Or maybe he did know what she was thinking. Looking into his blue eyes Emma didn't know.

"You want me to get Adam?" she asked, because it was something to say, something to fill the silence and something to do. Right now that was all she wanted, something to do so she would have to see Jesse's memories over and over again and live with the knowledge of what had been done…what might have been.

"Don't…" Jesse said quickly, too quickly for it used more air then he had, so it took a moment for him to speak again, "focus on what ifs…don't." He could feel his eyes closing, and he was too weak to fight it. Emma held his hand and watched him drift off.

'He isn't dead, she didn't hurt him...to much,' Emma told herself, but it was hard to believe by looking at him.

* * *

Emma walked into the kitchen where Adam was filling Shalimar and Brennan in on Jesse's condition. "Adam," she called from the doorway. 

"Hey Em," Shal said softly, a smile forming on her lips that didn't reach her eyes.

"Emma, what are you doing up?" Adam asked studying her, "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah," Em sighed as she headed over to Brennan, who had held out a hand for her. "I just…there was a minuet that I thought Jesse had…I went to check on Jess. He woke up briefly," Em said, rubbing her head.

"That's good, he woke up sooner then I thought," Adam said, some of the stress easing out of his voice. "I think I'll go and check on him. You three get something to eat and stay put," Adam said as he got up to leave.

"Adam," Emma called, "He's having a little trouble breathing. He tired to speak and he couldn't catch his breath."

Adam nodded, "That's normal, I'd be amazed if he could speak well. Thanks Emma, and I mean it you three, eat." With that Adam was gone.

Shalimar sighed and stood. "What do you want?' she asked going to the fridge.

"I can't eat," Brennan said, "I think I'm just goanna go to bed."

"Yeah, I agree. But I'm going to wait to see Jess first," Shal said, closing the fridge and facing the others. Her eyes flicked over her teammates, studying them. Brennan was tired, sore, and really needed some rest. Emma was distant, troubled, something was bothering her. "What's the matter Em?" Shal asked.

"Huh?"

"What's wrong? What's got you thinking so hard?"

"And I thought I was suppose to be the one to read emotions," Emma said as she rubbed her head.

"Spill girl."

Emma looked at the others; she didn't know what to say. Part of her wanted to tell them what she learned. But the other part wanted to leave it up to Jesse. "I got a hit off Jess…I just... it scared me."

"How so?" Brennan asked, giving her a slight squeeze.

"What happened, what might have happened…I guess I'm just still freaked out that we almost lost him."

"You and me both," Brennan said reassuringly. "But he's ok now." Brennan stood and gave each girl a hug. "I'm off to bed."

"Night Bren," Emma chimed, sinking into his now vacant chair.

Shal gave him a smile, but her attention was completely on Emma. Once she was sure Brennan was gone she took the seat next to her and gently touched her shoulder. Emma looked up at Shal, and Shal didn't like the look in her eyes. "What aren't you telling me Em? What's really wrong?"

Normally Em would deny anything was wrong, but now she was worried, tired, and just plan upset. She took a deep breath and told Shal everything that she'd seen.


	34. Chapter 34

Shalimar stood watching Jesse. Adam had mumbled something about sleep and that latter on tomorrow he'd see about the governor in Jesse's neck. She was pretty sure that he was hinting that she should sleep too, but how do you sleep when you know your little brother can't? When you know that the nightmares were coming and he'd be alone to face them?

You don't.

So Shalimar stood watch, close enough to be by his side if needed but far enough away that she didn't crowd him.

Shalimar had a feeling she knew what Emma was going to tell her before she said it, well she guessed anyway. It wouldn't be the first time someone had pawed Jess and it certainly wasn't the first time that Laura Brooks had touched him. No, Shalimar remembered the nights she would come from her 'walks' to find a weak but stubborn Jess practicing one form of martial art or another, the dim light barely highlighting his silent tears. It had taken Shalimar months to earn Jesse's trust, and even longer to get him to explain why he spent hours working out when he was still too weak to do more then sit up.

"_I need to be stronger…."_

"_Well that won't happen if you don't rest."_

"_Yeah but I can't sleep unless I work."_

"_Why not?"_

"_I'm helpless…"_

"_But you're safe."_

"_Not from her…I can't stop seeing her…"_

Shalimar replayed the conversation over and over in her mind. She remembered how Jesse never once looked at her, had never once moved and had never once seemed to lose control of his emotions. Carefully, hard won control that let him detach himself. She'd seen him use it every now and then if something got to close for comfort or he was reliving some painful memory. It always unsettled her some how, watching her beloved little brother who was so opened to his feelings, so in need of companionship, grow cold and distant. What she wouldn't give for a chance to know his pain at those times.

With a sigh Shalimar stretched out her aching mussels. "Oh Jesse, what am I going to do?"

"Go to sleep?" came a weak voice from the darkness.

"Hey you," Shal said with a smile as she slowly walked over to Jesse's side. "You sound better."

"Sound? Just sound?" Jesse asked with a weak smile.

"You won't be picking up to many girls for awhile. Sorry squirt," Shal said.

Jesse sighed and closed his eyes, "Yeah well, there's that game I've been putting off…"

"Leave it to you to think of something," Shal teased.

"That's why I get paid the big bucks."

There was a silence as Shalimar stroked Jesse's hair and Jess tired his best to fill his lungs again. He'd never admit it, but talking didn't just hurt, it winded him. Probably a bad thing.

"How you doing?" Shalimar asked. Jesse grew still under Shal's touch and gave another sigh.

"I'm going to tell you the same thing I told Emma, don't worry about what might have happened."

"Jess…"

"She spooked me Shal, that's all. I'm ok, I promise," Jesse reassured Shalimar, giving her a weak smile.

"I wish I believed you," Shal sighed.

Jesse frowned, but didn't say anything. God, it was really hard to catch his breath.

"Jess, every time something happens to you, you lock it away until you have to tell someone or you lose it. You get cold…strange…and I can't reach you," Shal said, her voice betraying her own emotions. "Why do you push us away when you need us? Why don't you talk?"

"Because that wasn't how I was raised. Remember Shal, I come from old money, and not just money, wealth. You just don't talk about things like that."

"How did you survive? I mean…you feel every thing…."

Jesse smiled sadly at her, "It wasn't easy and I thank God everyday that I had my grandmother…." Jesse stopped suddenly, a strange look coming over his face. "Shal…I need…you…to…get…Adam…."


	35. Chapter 35

Adam sighed as he looked down at Jesse. This was a complication he didn't see and he cursed himself because he should have. Jesse had developed pneumonia. His breathing was shaky and he had to have a tube, something that took a lot of convincing of the younger man to put in. It was clear to every one that just by looking that they were in for a fight, and one that they feared Jesse was going to lose.

It was so quick, latterly a blink of the eye. One minuet Jesse looked to be on the mend, he was talking, even managed a few smiles, and now….

"Adam?" Shalimar asked as he came out of the lab to speak to the three others.

He didn't need to say anything for them to know that it was bad news. "It's pneumonia. Because of Jesse's powers that in itself would have been bad enough, but now…He's to weak to fight it off."

"What are you saying Adam?" Brennan asked anger in his voice to cover the fear, "That we were to late?"

"No, no, we did everything we could Brennan. This was a complication that I over looked," Adam said evenly, locking eyes with Brennan.

"Adam, could we try what we did earlier? I mean is there any way I can…" Emma said softly, interrupting the staring contest.

"No, I'm sorry Emma, but this isn't like the gas. Disease is different, it would just phase with the rest of him…."

The team sat in silence for awhile just trying to get over the shock. Jesse was slipping away, and they had no idea what to do. They were helpless to save him and it weighed heavily on all of them.

"What's going to happen to him Adam?" Shal finally asked, looking at her mentor with tear filled eyes.

Adam sighed as he tried to think of a way to say this and finally decide on the truth. "There are a number of things that could happen to him. His powers could flare up as they often do when his lungs are weak. He could start rapid phasing or massing, or even having molecular fits…that's when he goes through phasing and massing cycles so fast that his body can't keep up and starts a kind of ripple affect. It's not good…" Adam added seeing Brennan's and Emma's confusion. Shal had seen it before. "Or he could die in his sleep, or even pull through. Nothing's sure…."

"Except one thing," Shalimar said calmly, "if Jesse dies, then I'll hunt them down and kill them."

There was no doubt of the feral's promis. Ther eyes were cold and she spoke with a calmness that caused the others to shiver. There was no human in her anymore, she was all cat. If Eckhart had been there he would have wet his pants.


	36. Ending

It was a long night for the members of Mutant X. For some reason the pneumonia had spread through Jesse's system faster then even Adam had seen. There was no longer any doubt, Jesse was going to die. Brennan and Emma switched places by Jesse side through out the night, taking turns with fetching the coffee or sleeping. Shalimar however refused to leave Jesse side, and when ever any one approached her, sent them a growl.

Jesse deteriorated over the night and into the next day. His lungs started to fail and the breathing tub Adam had to put in was attached to life support. His fever spiked and it sent Jesse in to a coma. He stopped responding to voices, to touch, and finally to pain. His kidneys started to shut down as his fever continued to climb.

No matter what Adam did, there was no improvement and he feared that infection had set in as well as pneumonia. By noon it became clear that booth his lungs were full with mucus and the breathing machine was doing little good.

"Isn't there anything you can do Adam!" Brennan cried when Adam informed them, yet again, of Jesse's determination.

"I have tried everything that I can, everything that medicine has. Jesse doesn't have the strength to fight anymore. There's nothing I can do…" Adam said, defeated. Form then on, no one said anything.

Then came what they all feared. It was exactly as Adam had said, Jesse's powers started to go haywire. It was something that was both beautiful and horrifying. The different ripples running along his skin, the red bands followed the almost transparent bands…they were all held spellbound.

It lasted about a half hour, Jesse's power spasms, before they gave way into full scale convulsions and by then they all knew there was going to be no miracle. Jesse's hart gave out about six that night.

* * *

At about ten that night, while everyone else was still locked in their own grief, Shalimar slipped silently out of Sanctuary. After Jesse had died, Emma had broken down into a crying fit. She couldn't help herself, for she had always loved the charming blond. Brennan, who had set his face, had carried her to her room, and once he was sure she was settled, had gone to the dojo. He was still there. Adam had locked himself away in his rooms, saying nothing to anyone. Shalimar herself hadn't moved from her position by his side. 

In times when her emotions ran to high she would often revert to her feral self. Let the animal take control and become pure predator. It was a form of self-defense she had always had, ever since she had been a child and her father had sent her to the hospital. It had served her well in the past for animals always knew what to do. They were black and white creatures, live or die. There were no gray areas in their minds. And now the instincts were demanding her to run. This was one time, though; her animal instinct wouldn't win out.

She sat there, letting death over power her senses, as she watched the last signs of life slip away from her pack mate. She held his hand in a death grip as it grew cold. Stared at his face and was awed at how young and peaceful he looked. Finally after she had convinced herself that Jesse was dead, she stood up. Softly she kissed Jesse's brow and then covered him carefully in a sheet. Shalimar left with out looking back.

The first thing she did was walk through Sanctuary. She checked on Emma, who was now in a restless sleep. The younger girl was hart broken and lost, Shalimar knew that she loved Jesse and also knew that she had never told him. But she would deal with that latter, right now Emma was safe. She next checked on Adam, who had locked himself away. She knew he was in his room, probably staring into the fire place he had there, trying hard to reclaim that professional detachment he had. It wouldn't work; Jesse had been more a son to him the Noah had been a father. There was no way for him to detach from that. Brennan was the last person she checked on. He was working himself into exhaustion. If you're too tired to think, you're too tired to dream… a theory Shal had put to the test many times. Brennan would be fine; he would push back his emotions every day until he could work it all out with his fists. But out of all of them, Shal worried about him the least.

Her rounds finished she made her way to her room. Changed quickly into black pants and shirt, pulled her hair back and took off her ring. She was going hunting and wanted no distractions. It was eight by the time Shalimar made it to the garage, found her bike and left Sanctuary.

* * *

Shalimar was on the prowl, she had found where Manson lived, a comfy little house outside of the city with a lot of security, thanks to Jesse. He had kept very orderly files on them and a quick stop at a safe house had given her everything she needed to find them. 

She could sense him, sitting smugly in his bed, thinking that he was safe. She could feel his every move and some how knew that he was alone. Oh how she was going to love this.

Silently she snuck up to the house, skillfully avoiding the numerous security systems scattered about as if some sixth sense told herwhere they were.She made her way to the back door, somehow knowing it was going to be the weakest link in the armor. She rattled a few windows as she moved, made a few nosies, smiling in satisfaction as she felt his fear rise. She was rewarded when she got a whiff of fear.

Shalimar smiled as she broke through the door and heared the startled scream. The smell of fear and panic hit her instintly, pushing out any humanity she had. By the time she reached them she was completly feral. He never had a chance.

* * *

Brennan scanned the crowed in front of him. It was a high price, high class dance club. The kind of place that Jesse had spent most of his life going to and hated every second of it. It was exactly the place that Brennan had followed Laura Brooks to. He didn't know how he had found her, didn't even really remember leaving Sanctuary, just showing up here. 

She was dancing, moving freely and gracefully with a hint of desperation. Her dress was short and fitted at the top, but flowing at the skirt. There were a few man crowding around her, none of them all that young, and the scattered as Brennan made his way to her.

As the music stopped and she looked around, wondering where her dancing partners had fled, Brennan reached her. "May I have this dance?" he asked her with harshness to his voice.

Laura turned around startled, she had recognized him. "You…!" she started and tried to run but Brannan was too quick for her and grabbed her. He pulled her to the back of the club out of everyone's vision.

"Let go of me! Help!" she shouted, for all the good it did her. The music had started again, drowning out any noise. But Brennan let her go, his eyes burning into her.

Smiling smugly at her presumed control over Brennan she said sadistically, "Shouldn't you be at home tending to your pathetic little freak?"

That was the wrong thing to say, the very worst thing to say. Brennan garbed her by the neck and slammed her against the wall. Bending low, to whisper in her ear he said, "Jesse died five hours ago. Now it's your turn."

With a gruesome hissing sound and the rank smell of cooked flesh, Laura sank to the floor.

* * *

Eckhart was behind his desk staring out the window of his empire. He had been so close to getting Adam and his pet freaks that he had started plans for a victory dinner. But of course, as always, things had gone wrong. He didn't count on the determination of the Mutant X team or Jesse's inner strength. And he defiantly wasn't prepared for Emma's stronger powers. 

He cursed the young mutant for the thousandth time, whishing that she was his to control. A buzzer went off on his phone breaking Eckhart's thoughts. He sighed, and angry sound, and answered.

"What!" he snapped at the security agent.

"There's something in the building sir," the man said, nervously.

"What do you mean there's something in the building? You're suppose to keep things out!"

"But sir…"

"No buts! Find what ever it is and deal with it, what else am I paying you for?" Eckhart growled. He hung up before the man had time to tell him that the intruder was boldly heading right for him and the agents had no idea what it was.

Eckhart, now nervous himself, flipped a switch on his desk and instantly his security monitors came into view. From what he could see, whatever was in the building was doing nothing to hide or avoid confrontation, but at the same time was annoyingly avoiding every trap and camera in the entire place. Even more worrisome was the fact that it was heading straight for him. He could see the place that the intruder had been, for his agents had been completely pulverized, many laying dead. Then there were the places where the intruder had yet to be, which had hordes of agents but he still couldn't find what he was looking for. The only thing he saw was a growing area of covered ground.

"Damn it, why won't you show yourself?" Eckhart sneered, and on cue the door to his office busted open. He quickly turned and faced the intruder letting out a gasp as he saw nothing.

"What the hell?" he said, brow creased in frustration and fear.

"Hello Eckhart…."

The voice was curl, smug and familiar. If Eckhart didn't know any better he would have thought it was Jesse Kilmartion. "Who are you?" he asked, hoping that he sounded more confident and secure then he felt.

"Your past coming back to kill you," the voice answered simply and that was the last thing Eckhart would hear before his lungs exploded.

* * *

Back at Sanctuary Emma's restless sleep gave way to peace, a wicked smile forming her lips. Her job was done.

* * *

**Well, there you have it. It's over. So sad...why'd i have to kill Jesse? Well, if you don't like it, ya know what? turn the page. :)**


End file.
